The Silent Hero: Mute
by Mango-senpai
Summary: Its hard trying to become a hero when the world looks down on you, but that won't stop her. After all, actions speak louder than words right?
1. The School Shooter

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 1: The School Shooter**

* * *

"...My name, is Shizuka Basho."

Kindergarten. Probably one of the most memorable moments in a person's life. A time of simplicity and innocence. Thinking back, I could distinctly recall the warmth of spring and all of the butterflies I had felt in my stomach that day, mostly due to the fact that I had also just gotten my quirk. It was a day full of smiles, laughs, and new friends…

"Wow thats so cool!" one of my classmates exclaimed "Do it again!"

"Okay!" I smiled while standing up three foam blocks. I then take a couple of steps backwards and point my finger out like a gun. Bam! One by one I shot the blocks down with my air bullets, smiling at the awes and stares I was receiving...

however-

"What?! Is there anything we can do?" My father pleaded with the doctor.

What started as the best day ever took a rather somber turn. I remember the bus ride home from school as if it was yesterday. While talking to one of the girls I was sitting next to I could feel this sudden hot, stinging pain in my throat. Every time I attempted to even talk the pain would increase, almost sending me into tears.

"Well," the doctor sighed as he flipped through his notes. "Due to the fact that her quirk had rapidly developed so suddenly, her body, specifically her larynx, had sustained damage in order to compensate for the sudden rapid change."

"...So she'll never be able to talk again?" Even I, a five year old at the time could see the brave face my father was putting up as his eyes shook with worry.

"The chances are... low. Based off of the results of the biopsy and endoscopy there is about a low chance of her regaining her voice. However, this isn't necessarily uncommon. There are many cases of children having difficulty honing the use of their quirks. In the case of Shizuka, she appears to have experienced a paradoxical effect. Rather her extremities undergoing any sort of mutation, which is what tends happens with those who have strong physical quirks, her voice box was the only thing that has appeared to be affected."

"Ah-!" I remember squirming in my chair, trying to say something. Anything. But all that came out was muffles and gasps at my attempts to verbalize my feelings of frustration. Immediately my father turned to me with a look of concern and sadness.

"It'll be okay honey," He said as he embraced me. "I promise."

Latching onto his shirt I cried. I cried out of frustration, anger, sadness, and confusion. And yet with the odds stacked against me, I believed in him.

* * *

**Eight Years Later**

My name, is Shizuka Basho.

I held up the white board high enough for my classmates to see my brief introduction. Immediately, I was met with stares of curiosity and confusion, which didn't come as a surprise to me.

Middle School. It was another memorable moment of my life. It was when Dad, Himori (my older brother) and I decided to move the city of Saitama so we could help take care of grandma. While I was happy she would be living with us, I wasn't exactly ecstatic in being in a new school. After losing my voice, communication became a bit difficult, and as a result, making friends became a near impossible task for me. And so, I gave up on trying.

"Shizuka is unable to speak, so please lets make her feel welcome." My homeroom teacher, announced to the class. "Shizuka, if you may, please go and take a seat."

I nodded my head and took the open seat next to the window. Surprisingly the day appeared to go by quicker than I had expected, that was until lunchtime had approached.

"Hey, how'd you lose your voice?" I poked my head out of my notebook to see a couple of my classmates staring. Rather than wasting the time texting, I shrugged my shoulders. It was a question without a satisfying answer, to be blunt. As Himori called it, I had a mime quirk. Through doing hand gestures like forming a finger gun, I could shoot invisible air bullets, or hold my hands up to put up an invisible wall, and even take a seat in midair (a little trick I had just learned recently).

"Really?" Suzume, the girl who sat in front of me asked. "Wow, that's rough."

_Yep_, I mentally replied while nodding my head. I had no plans on showing off my quirk, especially since there was no need or use for it during school. Before anyone else could toss anymore questions I quickly grabbed my lunch and took off exploring the school. It was so different compared to what I was used to. Despite being larger than my old school it somehow managed to feel more crowded and over packed with just about every single stereotype you could imagine. Goths, popular girls, jocks, otakus, bullies...

"H-hey! Cut it out Jun!" My eyes glued to what appeared to be two upperclassmen in some sort of an argument.

"Seriously? Isn't this type of manga for girls?" laughed the one guy with dark blue hair (who I assumed to be Jun). Based off of my judgement, this one appeared to be more 'dominant' and carried himself with high standards with his hair styled as if he were in a boy band. "Wow, Toki-chan are you a perv?"

"Its Toki-kun! And no I'm not!" Cried the other guy who appeared worried and embarrassed.

_How sad_, I noticed as everyone else ignored their one-sided ordeal. As Jun started to get more physical with Toki, my eyes roamed around the room to see if anyone, just one person bothered to bat their eyes at them. _Why isn't someone doing something?!_

"Jun stop please!" Toki pleaded with tears starting to fill in his eyes.

"And why should I?" Jun exclaimed as he lifted his hand "What are you gonna do about it?"

Like I said, I had no plans on showing off my quirk let alone using it during school...

"Shit!" Jun cried as pain radiated from his hand.

"Did someone bring a gun to school?!"

"What was that?! Oh my god!"

_Crap..._I cursed at the realization that I had shot Jun's hand. While I didn't regret it, I wasn't in the mood to deal with whatever was going to happen next. _Hopefully he didn't notice it was me-_

"You bitch!" he cursed, "Just who the hell do you think you are?!"

_Scratch that, looks like it was time for plan b._ Reluctantly, I take my phone out to reply only to have it slapped out of my hand.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" he said in an attempt to taunt me.

"Jun be careful! Shes got a gun!" someone from the crowd yelled.

_Oh great, it's only my first day yet I've somehow managed to cause an uproar_. My eyes almost rolled to the back of my head from out dramatic everyone was being.

"Answer me!" I could feel Jun's anger rise as he slammed me against the wall.

"Is everyone okay?!" Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, one of the teachers showed up "Oh my goodness, what happened?!"

"What does it look like?" Jun spat at him, "This girl was trying to rob me and ended up shooting me in the hand!"

_You asshole_! I glared daggers at him for having the audacity to lie so carelessly.

"Well young lady, what do you have to say for yourself?" the teacher asked.

_Is everyone really going to stay quiet?_ I was beginning to become more appalled by their silence (especially Toki's) than from Jun's bullying. _How cold can these people be?!_ Because my phone was still on the ground near Jun's feet, I had no way of communicating to the teacher other than just shaking my head. I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't going to be satisfied with that alone.

_Dammit_, I mentally cursed in frustration.

"I see," the teacher sighed in disappointment.

_No you don't see!_ I wanted to scream. _This is a misunderstanding!_

"Since your so adamant on remaining silent I have no choice to send you to the principal's office. Don't think because its your first day here you'll get off the hook. Come with me."

Before following the teacher I feel someone poke my back. I turned to see Jun holding my phone. With his bare hand he crushes it, leaving it past the point of being fixed.

"See this?" he whispered as he dropped the remains of my phone into my hands. "Thats whats going to happen to you next time if you mess with me." And with a smirk, he walked away as if nothing ever happened.

* * *

Detention for a month. That's what I ended up getting as a result of all this. Even though I managed to explain the situation and clear my name (somewhat), the principal couldn't overlook that I had used my quirk to harm someone else. Honestly, I would've preferred if the principal had just suspended me for a couple of days but since he didn't want me to miss any school detention was the only option left. Along with getting a lecture from my dad about my quirk I was also left without a cell phone (first world problems, I know) which meant I had to carry a notepad and pen everywhere in case I had to ask somebody something or if somebody decided to talk to me. And to top things off I was ostracized from everyone at school due to being dubbed as Shizuka the School Shooter. Not exactly something I want to be known for, especially since I was trying to get into U.A. I only hoped that this incident wasn't going to appear on my record when the time to apply comes.

"Shizuka Basho," my head perked up to see one of my classmates staring with a look of boredom and curiosity.

_What do you want?_ I wondered. _Hitoshi Shinso_. If I recalled apparently he was a future criminal in the making. For whatever reason why, I had no idea, nor did I really care.

"People are starting to spread rumors about you disappearing everyday at lunch." I wasn't surprised, especially since gossiping is what everyone seemed to love doing here. But if they really wanted to know, why wouldn't they just follow me or ask.

_All I tried to do was save a kid from getting bullied_. I mentally sighed. _Can't they find something better to do with their time?_

"If you really want to know so badly your welcome to come." I wrote down, expecting him to decline. Once reading my reply he raises his eyebrows in what looked to be a somewhat surprised expression.

"Sure."

_Really?_ I mentally gasped. Not that I didn't mind necessarily, it was just unexpected. _Don't blame me if more rumors about you go spreading around_. Waving my hand, I get Shinso to follow me down the hall.

"The music room?" He murmured. I nodded my head, and opened the door before replying back.

"The music teacher lets me use it during lunch time as a way to 'keep me out of trouble'." I replied before throwing my notepad into my pocket. Opening up the grand piano, I take a seat and pat the open space next to me, gesturing him to take a seat next to me. Once I stretch my fingers I glide them across the keys and began to play a song from one of my favorite composers, Yiruma. For a brief moment, I zone out and let the music take over my fingers as I reach the climax of the song. After a couple of more minutes, my fingers slowly come to a stop as the song wraps up.

"Interesting." Shinso replied "So this is what the school shooter does in her spare time. I'm guessing you want to be a musician?"

I shook my head, ignoring the shooter comment. Picking up my notepad I write back: "You guessed wrong." While playing the piano was something I enjoyed, I just couldn't see myself making a career out of it. Not because I wasn't good, but because I only saw it as a hobby. and a stress reliever. Since I had lost my voice my dad had become a little more protective of me, suggesting I partake in something that wasn't so 'rough'. Something that I came to loathe abit. It was just becoming overwhelming and in a way I felt as though I was being belittled. Unlike Himori, who was considered the perfect child of the family.

"Really?" he said in almost disbelief.

I take a deep breathe before jotting my reply down "I want to be a hero."

"Is that so.." he mumbled.

"Don't believe me?"

"Who said I didn't?" he tilted his head.

"Not many people believe me when I tell them," and yet every time I heard someone say that I'd never make it, or didn't have what it takes I would feel this burst of ambition and find myself wanting to prove them wrong even more. "...What about you? What does a future criminal like you do in your free time?"

Shinso smirks "So you've already heard about those rumors. I'm surprised they're still going around. Well its not as impressive as playing piano, lately I've been busy studying for the U.A. entrance exams I haven't had time to do much...I'm guessing that's where you plan on going too?" I nearly drop my pencil as I write down my reply.

"How'd you know?"

"You're expression kinda gave it away."

"Let me guess, your quirk is mind reading."

"Wrong." he replied bluntly. "You really want to know?" I nodded my head, observing the peculiar expression he wore on his face.

"I don't read minds, I control them. In other words, brainwashing."

"How so?"

"Talk." I tilt my head and give him a perplexed look. "Verbally."

_Me?_ I pointed to myself to clarify. Shinso nods his head and for a few minutes we sat in silence. I couldn't tell if he was being serious, but if he was he was just going to end up disappointed. Maybe I can try...

"Hello!" I tried to say, but my efforts were fruitless.

"You really can't talk huh.." My gaze falls towards the keys of the piano, then back to my notepad. Before I could write back I found myself distracted by the loud noises coming from the hallway.

"Oh wow he's hanging out with her?"

"You know, I'm not surprised. He's the one with that creepy quirk." As the two girls walked past the classroom I couldn't help but laugh silently.

"A criminal and a school shooter. We probably look suspicious just sitting here."

"Whatever, I'm used to being looked at like I'm the bad guy." he sighs, getting up from the bench. As I turn the page to write back I found nothing but the cardboard part of the notepad. I had run out of paper, which meant no more talking for the rest of the day.

_Wow, I didn't expect this thing to get filled out that quick...but I guess that makes two of us then huh._

"Lets head back, shall we?"

* * *

**AN: What you think? Kinda short but hope its to your liking! **

**PS- I don't own MHA**


	2. The Perfect Brother

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 2: The Perfect Brother**

* * *

"Congratulations Himori!" Grandma clapped.

"Winning the Shiketsu Sports Festival. That's my boy, I'm proud of you!" Dad congratulated him. Himori rubbed the back of his white fluffy hair bashfully thanking everyone.

Himori Basho. A second-year student of Shiketsu High School and firstborn son of Heiwa Basho and Musei Basho. The perfect son, the perfect brother, he was practically born for success with a powerful quirk to go along with it.

"Hey Shizu-chan, I got you something while I was out." Himori smiled while pulling out a small black box.

_Really? What's inside?_ I wondered, genitally shaking the box.

"Himori you didn't have to do that," dad smiled. "We're celebrating your success." It never bothered me how perfect Himori was. In fact, his 'perfectness' actually inspired me to be better and work harder. If he could do it, then maybe I could too.

"Yeah, I know." Himori sighed, eyeing my present. "Well? Are you going to open it?"

_A cell phone?!_ My eyes gleamed with happiness. Though it was an older model, it was still a working cell phone. _With an old school sliding keyboard. How the heck did you get this?!_ Jumping out of my chair I tackle him with a hug.

"Thank you! Thank you!" I cried, even though all that came out were silent muffles.

"Wow Himori, how did you manage to get this?" Grandma asked, checking the phone out.

"I know a guy," he grinned. "Besides. It'll make communicating with Shizu-chan a lot easier and faster."

"True..." my dad paused. "By the way, today was your last day of detention. Right Shizuka?" Suddenly, my burst of happiness came to a sudden halt. Nodding my head I take a seat back in my chair. "Good. The last thing we need is for you to get in trouble again. Have you applied for Ongaku yet?" My eyes narrowed as I bit my tongue at the mention of that school. Ongaku High School was a music school for the gifted and talented that my dad was hellbent on me attending.

"It's a little early for her to decide. She's still got another year of middle school left before she has to make her decision." Himori pointed out.

"It's good to plan for the future," Dad stated. "I want nothing but the best for Shizuka." Turning on my phone I slide the keyboard open and in caps locks release some frustration that was building up.

"I'M NOT GOING TO ONGAKU."

"Oh?" Dad leaned in to read my response. "And where do you want to go?"

"Yes, where?" Grandma asked. "Ongaku is where some of the best pianist and songwriters of our country come from."

"U.A. I want to become a hero like Himori and mom."

Dad lightly chuckled "No you're not. You're too fragile to become a hero."

"Shizu-chan..." Grandma whispered under her breath.

"I'm serious. You are not becoming a hero. It's not a safe career for you."

_Then how come Himori can become one?!_ I never understood why he was so against it. He would go as far as to sign me up for piano classes and ballet classes, anything to occupy my time with non-hero activities. _Why doesn't he believe in me?!_

"She does have potential. After all, she did shoot that one guy in the hand," Himori said.

"Don't encourage her," Dad scowled, making Himori flinch. "I'll pick up the application form for Ongaku next week. In the meantime, promise me you'll stay out of trouble?"

"...You're a damn hypocrite." I text him before heading back to my room.

"Shizuka! A lady like you shouldn't use such vulgar language!" I heard my grandma shout from the kitchen in disappointment.

_He wants what's best for me? Tch, he doesn't even know what's best for me._ After plugging in my phone, I collapse on the bed and stare up at the blank white ceiling. _Whatever. I'm going to become a hero, whether he likes it or not. I'll make him regret ever doubting me._

Suddenly, my phone buzzed for a brief moment, causing me to lose my train of thought. _What now?_ I unlock my phone to find a message from Himori, who to my surprise had already put his number on here.

"Are you okay?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Was he serious? Did he not pay attention to what just happened? If he was trying to console me he wasn't doing a good job at it.

"No, but I wanted to out of concern...Were you serious about what you said before? About going to U.A.?"

"Yes." I waited for a couple minutes, and got no response. It wasn't until I was on the verge of falling asleep did I hear my phone go off again.

"Sorry, got stuck with cleaning up dinner since you stormed off."

_Whatever,_ I rolled my eyes. This was coming from the germaphobe who cleaned for a hobby. _Like you even care._

"If your serious about it come to Shiketsu after school tomorrow," he added on.

"Dad will flip if he finds out though."

"Just tell dad you joined an after school club...I thought you said you were serious about trying to get into U.A." My mouth dropped only to curve up into a smile. Himori was encouraging me to lie.

"Looks like Mr. Perfect has an evil side to him." I replied, silently giggling. "I'll be there as soon as I can!"

"Never said I was perfect." he replied. "Just make sure you make up something believable. I don't need him coming after me."

"Himori?"

"What?"

"Thanks."

* * *

For the next few months, I met up with Himori to train at Shiketsu High School three days a week. I wasn't sure how it was going to work out but Himori, of course seemed to have it all under control. One day dedicated to stamina, another to strength, and the third to agility. To keep things simple, I told dad I joined a light music club to keep him off of my back for a while. As for that application for Ongaku, I filled it out...It just never got sent. Rather, I 'accidentally' dropped it into the shredder at school while on after-school cleaning duty.

"Ongaku high school," Shinso mumbled. "I mean, it's not a bad school."

"But it's not what I want." I texted him. "You know that."

"Yeah." he said while grabbing the cleaning supplies from the supply closet.

_Here, let me help_. I offered, grabbing the broom from his hand.

"With a quirk like yours, getting into U.A. should be easy."

_What's that supposed to mean?_ I turned my head and examined his face. As usual, Shinso wore a calm expression with what appeared to be a hint of envy seeping through (although I could be over thinking). _Still, the way he said it bothers me._

"Seriously, Toki." Immediately my feet froze and I whipped my head to where I heard that familiar, confident voice. "If you're not going to make yourself useful then the least you could do is kill yourself."

_Just turn around Shizuka_. I told myself. _Walk away before you get involved again._

_You're too fragile to become a hero._

_Dammit_. I clenched my teeth feeling conflicted.

"Maybe...yeah, I guess you're right." I heard Toki sigh.

_What?!_ I mentally gasped, nearly dropping the broom. Looks like the bullying only got worse for Toki after that incident a few months ago, but what sent chills up my spine was how defeated he sounded. He wasn't even attempting to fight back. _Come on Shizuka, follow Shinso. If this guy doesn't care about his own life then you shouldn't either. Besides, he didn't even speak up when you went to help him last time._

"What's wrong?" Shinso asked, noticing that I was falling behind.

"Here," Jun said. Handing Toki something, what it was I had no idea but it made me panic. "Do it."

"Come on, lets go." Shinso said, turning his back.

_Are you serious?!_ My blood began to boil. Throwing my broom on the ground I make a run for it. It was deja vu all over again. Only this time, I found myself grabbing Jun's arm. He looked over to see me glaring at him.

"Oh it's you, the school shooter. What are you doing here?" he asked in a tone that heeded warning. "You remember what I said would happen if you messed with me? Now be a good girl and-" Before he finished I shoved him away from Toki.

"S-school shooter?" he stuttered. I shook my head and motioned him to step back. No chance I was going to take my phone out and explain.

"You just love looking for trouble huh?" Despite trying to sound disappointed, Jun's expression gave off a look of excitement. "Don't think I'll go easy on you because you're a girl!" Throwing my hands up I create an invisible wall blocking off Jun's punch.

_He's strong!_ I noticed as my feet start to slip back from the impact of his punches. _This guy's quirk must be super strength or something._

"Are you okay school shooter?!" Toki exclaimed in worry.

_Can you not call me that please?_ I mentally pleaded while trying not to get distracted._ Shit-!_ Before I lost my balance, I was forced to undo the barrier, causing me to take a direct punch from Jun.

"Quit trying to be a hero and step aside!" Jun stated.

_You are not becoming a hero._

_Shut up._ I mentally spat out at the memory of my dad. _Shut up!_ Without a second thought I shot at Jun.

"Sorry, that cheap trick isn't going to work on me again-" And in return, while he was distracted, I punched him.

_An eye for an eye asshole_. Before he could recuperate I shot again, grazing his collarbone.

"Basho!"

_Whatever it takes! I'm going to become a hero_! I mentally exclaimed as my heart raced with adrenaline.

"Whos that?" Jun murmured as he held his collarbone in pain.

"Stop!"

Wham! With a clean punch to the face I knock him down to the ground. _Checkmate_. I proudly announce aiming at his head. _Weird how he's not fighting back though-_

"Basho!" Feeling my arm being yanked I turn to see Shinso panting. "Stop..."

_Shinso...why does he look so exhausted-_It then clicked in my mind that Shinso was using his quirk. Not on me, but on Jun. _Oh no..._

"What are you stupid?!" He exclaimed. "You're going to get in trouble again!"

_What would've happened if Shinso didn't stop me?_ I looked wide-eyed, staring at Jun's frozen body.

"Basho!"

"..." I bowed in apology to everyone.

"Basho-chan?" Toki spoke in a, is-that-your-name toned. To my surprise he returns the bow, only bowing more deeply, causing me to feel a bit flustered. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

_Please, get up! Its okay, really!_ I waved my hands, trying to get his attention.

"After everything that happened, I was so sure that you hated me...you...you. You're my hero!"

_You're my hero!_ the words rang in my head for a few minutes before finally digesting.

"If you hadn't of stepped in, I think I might've actually tried to...you know."

Putting my hand on his shoulder I smile. "I'm glad you didn't." I texted him, watching as he wiped the tears off of his eyes to read my phone.

"Oh!" he gasped. "You two must be on cleaning duty. I'm so sorry for getting in your way."

"Its not a problem, just stop saying sorry." I told him.

"Ah...right. Anyways, you guys should get going. Don't worry, if the teachers ask I'll tell them what happened."

"...Right." Shinso replied as he cancelled his quirk.

* * *

There was a kind of an awkward vibe looming over me as I cleaned the classroom with Shinso. With what had just happened still on my mind, I found myself so fixated on the fact that Shinso's quirk didn't work on me. And what he had said earlier was still bothering me too...I hated it. I hated feeling awkward, it made me feel anxious and uncomfortable. All I wanted was for it to stop.

_I wonder if he feels awkward too. Nah, it's probably just me being weird again._ When your voice is stripped from you like mine is, your thoughts start to rampage and bounce all over the place. _He looks like he's thinking deeply about something..._

"Shinso..." I nudge his arm to get his attention before typing out the rest of my response. "You okay?"

"Why are you asking?"

"You look troubled or...bothered." I replied, picking the best adjectives I could think of that related. Putting down the mop, he leans against one of the desks and sighs.

"You helped that kid out, knowing that you might get in trouble again..." He then paused and picked his head up to face me. "It made me think. How can I be a hero if I can't even help those in front of me?"

My heart dropped "You're not giving up right?"

"Of course not." he sighed in annoyance. "Watching you just made realized that I need to work even harder. Even if the odds are against me, I'm going to make it..."

"How about we train together then?" I suggested. "I go to Shiketsu three days a week to train with my brother. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you tagged along. Besides..."

"Hm?" Shinso raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to finish typing.

"I'd like you to use your quirk on me, if possible."

"You know that's not possible."

"Not now, but maybe if you train and strengthen your quirk it could work!"

"Why do you want me to use my quirk on you so badly?"

"I have a hypothesis...if you can brainwash me, maybe you can brainwash me into getting my voice back or talking again. While my chances of regaining my voice is low, the doctor never said it wasn't impossible."

"Alright." he simply said. "Sounds like a deal."

"Thank you!" I attempt to shout with a smile. "You're the best!" I type out.

"Not a problem Basho."

"Also...call me Shizuka."

"Your first name?" He asked, unsure.

"I mean if you want. We're friends after all, right?" Shinso paused, looking at his classmate in slight shock.

_Shit...its awkward again._ Shizuka panicked. She had thought of them as friends, but was beginning to worry he didn't feel the same. _He's a loner after all, what am I thinking-_

"Right," he smirked after a painful minuet. I let out a sigh of relief, mentally cursing him for making me wait. "Anyways, let's finish this up. It's getting late."

_Right!_ I nodded my head and together we clean the rest of the classroom, leaving it spotless.

* * *

**A/N**: Funfact, Himori's nickname for Shizuka (Shizu-chan) is a reference to Shizuo Heiwajima from Durarara (in case you guys didn't pick it up).

If you or anyone is feeling suicidal call the suicide hotline (Phone number can easily be googled, plus not everyone is from America so I'm not putting the number down). Anyways as always reviews are welcomed! Hope you guys are liking the story so far!


	3. Crumbling Dreams

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 3: Crumbling Dreams**

* * *

"My Shizu-chan your gym clothes are becoming quite worn," Grandma observed as she set the clothes out to dry. "What do they have you doing at school?" Shrugging my shoulders I offer a hand and start to hang up some clothing outside. Lying to my dad was one thing, but lying to my grandma was a whole different ball game.

"You've been coming home with bruises lately it's worrying me a bit." I turn my head to look over at my petite grandma. One thing I've noticed ever since she started living with us is that she can be extremely observant. _Too observant.._.It wouldn't surprise me if she had a mind reading quirk, considering how she's good at noticing the small details of everything. "Oh my, and Himori's clothes are just as worse."

_I'm not liking where this is going..._Nudging her lightly, I text: "I can finish hanging the clothes grandma. You go relax."

"Oh Shizu dear, you're such a sweetheart." she smiled. "Tell you what, how about I cook dinner tonight? I'll make you your favorite, oyakodon." Instantly, my mouth began to water.

"I'll take that as a yes." she laughed, noticing my dramatic change in demeanor. The minuet she slid the backyard door closed I let out a big sigh.

_This isn't good_. I can't let her find out what's going on.._.what should I do?_ I pondered the thought as I finished hanging up the laundry. It was only a matter of time before her and dad find out that I never sent in my application for Ongaku. Before I knew it, guilt started to seep into my gut. This is what made lying to grandma so hard. It was because unlike dad, I would always feel guilty when lying to her...before the guilt could fully manifest I shook my head to dismiss the remorse I had. _Focus on getting into U.A. first, then whatever happens next I'll handle...somehow._

"You're too reckless." I nearly dropped a load of clean clothes on the ground. I turned in brief anger to see none other than Mr. Perfect himself leaning against the fence. "I've noticed it too whenever we train. You let your emotions sway you too much."

"How long have you been there?" I messaged him. He is so lucky I didn't drop anything or I'd really be angry.

"Long enough to know that granny is getting suspicious." Himori's ruby colored eyes sharpened as his tone of voice lowered just enough for me to hear.

"Are you saying that grandma is suspicious because I'm too emotional?" I texted in disbelief.

"I said you're too reckless. Listen." He sighed, scratching his head. "You need to start protecting yourself more instead of charging blindly into everything. Otherwise your hero career isn't going to last that long."

Thinking back, he did have a point. _I hate it when he's right though._ If I had never charged at Jun I may have never gotten in trouble in the first place. _Then, what else was I supposed to do?_ I crossed my arms in frustration.

"You know I'm right," Himori added on. "Granny and Dad's going to catch on soon if you keep coming home with bruises. And if that happens, you're going to have to train by yourself."

"What should we do?" I asked, as my stomach dropped.

"I don't know about you but I'm taking a break from training." Himori stated, while resting "Its summer break now, my friends and I are taking a trip out to Tokyo so I'll be gone for a couple of days..."

Whatever Himori said next didn't register or process through my brain. The fact that Himori would stop training me if Dad found out terrified me down to the core. It wasn't until I looked into the mirror later that day did I realize the delicacy of my situation. If Dad found out what I was doing too soon, my chances of becoming a hero would be gone in an instant.

_I'm all bruised up..._From my face to my legs. No wonder Grandma was worried about me. My eyes then glanced away towards the cork-board I had hanging in my room with old pictures and news articles. Particularly of an old crumbled up article I had saved.

**Local Hero Saves Town From Flooding**, it read. Underneath the bold title showed a picture of a beautiful woman with white locks of hair and ruby red eyes smiling. While she wasn't as well known as pro heroes like All Might or Endeavor, she was just as loved and appreciated by the people she saved and protected with her reflective barrier quirk. Kagami the Defender, was what she was known to the public. But to me, she was known as Musei Basho. The greatest hero ever.

"Shizu dear! Dinner's ready!" My head perked up as Grandma's voice echoed through the house.

_I'm not giving up_. I clenched my fists in determination. _I've got a couple months left until the U.A. Entrance Exams..._

* * *

For the next couple of days Hitoshi agreed to meet at the library so we could study for the entrance exams. I was surprised at how smart Hitoshi was, he really had been dedicating himself to his studies. From math to japanese to hero-101, it amazed me how he always seemed to have the answer to almost everything. While most of the time we studied in silence, just having the company made it a lot more bearable.

"For not studying, you sure are a fast learner." Hitoshi mumbled, causing me to rub the back of my head in embarrassment. Up until now I wasn't really studying for the written part of the entrance exams (mostly due to being so preoccupied with the physical aspects of the test mind you).

"I have you to thank for that." I smiled, showing him my response. I felt so grateful to have a friend like him, I only hoped I could make it up to him one day. "Really, you'd be an awesome teacher."

"You give me too much credit." Hitoshi smirked, closing up one of the textbooks he'd finish reading. "What are you doing?" Hovering over my shoulder he watches as I upload a document onto my laptop screen.

"I'm filling out the application for the entrance exams. They're coming up soon, plus its not like I can do this at home." I typed onto a sticky note, making the font large enough for him to see.

"Why's that?" I gave him a look that read, do-you-really-want-to-know. In return, he just looked confused. "If it's a long response I don't mind waiting."

_Would he think any different of me?_ After thinking it through for a minute, I came to the conclusion that he probably wouldn't. I was the supposed school shooter after all, and you can't get any worse than that in my opinion. After nodding my head, I open up another sticky note and began to put my thoughts into writing. It took me a bit longer than I had thought, but after a good fifteen minutes I explained how my dad doesn't want me to become a hero and how it all lead up to where we are today. After carefully reading my reply, I studied Hitoshi's face waiting for him to react. Since he was pretty reserved, I wasn't expecting anything dramatic but-

"Are you serious?" He face scrunched up in anger, the last emotion I was expecting to see. Though it was subtle, his body language practically gave his true feelings away. I nodded before clearing out the sticky note for my next reply.

"Are you okay?" I've never seen Hitoshi angry before and honestly, I wasn't sure what to do.

"Just annoyed," he huffed out. "It just reminds me of everyone from school. But to think you have to deal with it there and at home."

"It's not so bad," I admitted. "Thanks to you and Himori, I've been managing just fine."

"Is that so?" Hitoshi leaned back against his chair with his arms folded. That seemed to calm him down. "Hm, that's nice to know."

Again I nod my head. "What's your family life like?"

"Pretty normal. I've lived here in Saitama my whole life with my parents. My dad actually attended U.A...but since he didn't have a 'heroic' quirk he was put in general studies and eventually became a doctor at the hospital. As for my mom she stayed home to take care of me up until recently. Guess I'm pretty blessed in that aspect of life..." He spoke with a peaceful calm tone as he rubbed the back of his head. Despite being such a stoic person, it was nice to see Hitoshi had emotions.

_He has a great family_, I couldn't help but smile. _I'm glad...It's hard when people look down on your dreams._

After a couple more minutes of talking we decided to wrap things up for the day and grab a bite to eat. Once we left the library we stopped at a nearby bakery for food that was actually right around the corner from my house. I didn't realize until now that Hitoshi lived closer to me than I had thought when he had mentioned he would come here all the time with his mom when he was younger. And no wonder too, they're desserts were amazing and home-made! After grabbing my snack I head outside to meet up with Hitoshi to find him petting a stray cat.

_Wow..._ I mentally gasped. _Hitoshi's smiling._ A genuine smile too. The cat seemed to take a liking to him too, but that could just be because he fed him a piece of his red bean bun. _But it suits him though..._I then write out my text before tapping him on the shoulder, surprising him.

"I didn't know you liked cats," I smiled. Hitoshi's mouth drops as if he was caught off guard.

"They're quiet and and independent. That's why I like them," He stated. Kneeling down to their level I attempt to pet the stray cat only to have it swipe its claws at me. Instinctively, I gasp and twerk my hand away, almost losing my balance in the process. If it wasn't so cute I might've used my quirk on it.

"Don't be so reckless. Here, gently bring the back of your hand to his nose." Hitoshi gently grabs my hand and slowly brings it near the cat. The cat's curiosity spiked up, causing him to lean in closer. The cat then sniffs my hand only to then run away. I frown, not being able to get the chance to pet him. "You need to earn their trust first. Cats tend to be very cautious in nature. Usually if you just let them smell your scent they'll let you pet them...but not always. I wouldn't get too hung up."

_He forgot a crumb_, I noticed glancing down at the large piece of red bean bun. My mind then took a turn in a different direction at the sight of Hitoshi holding my hand. Immediately I blush, not at the fact I was holding his hand, but because it was the first time I've held a guy's hand.

"Sorry," Hitoshi apologized, noticing my stare. Immediately he releases my hand to stand up. I nod my head to let him know it was okay. When he decided to ask me what I liked better cats or dogs, I just did the usual shrug my shoulders routine. _Why do I have to pick just one?_

"I like both," I simply replied. "With the exception of the sphinx cat. They just freak me out."

"You're scared of them?" He replied with a wry grin.

"I've never seen one in person, but if I did I probably would be."

"You know, you shouldn't be sharing your fears so openly. I could use that against you," he replied in a, I-am-a-future-criminal toned voice. I laughed silently at the thought of Hitoshi being an evil villain with cats for subordinates.

"Have mercy on me," I texted with laughing emojis. Hitoshi cupped his chin, as if he had to think about it.

"Very well. I'll grant you mercy...for now."

_What do you mean for now?_ He sounded pretty convincing for just joking.

"Anyways, its getting late. I'll see you later Shizuka." He said. Before parting ways I attempted to mouth "goodbye" to see if he'd understand. Luckily for me he did understand. I grinned, not having to take my phone out (since my hands were occupied, holding my peach bun).

_I hope we stay friends for a long time..._

* * *

**6 months later**

"No training." I tilted my head at Himori in confusion. What did he mean no training? "Do I really have to explain it to you?"

_Yes_. I looked at him with a deadpan expression.

"You're test is three days away. Go rest or play video games!" Himori sighed.

"True," Hitoshi agreed. "It wouldn't be a good idea to go into the test with injuries."

"I knew there was a reason why I liked you!" Himori grinned, rubbing the top of Hitoshi's head. "See! Toshi agrees with me." I sighed at the guys in defeat. Suddenly Himori's tone of voice changed. "I've done everything I can. I wish you both nothing but the best of luck...not that you'll need it."

Out of the blue my phone vibrates. Not once, like it would for a text message but multiple times as if someone was calling me. Taking out my phone I look on the screen to see that my dad was calling me. I show Himori and Hitoshi before picking up the phone and putting it on speaker.

"Shizuka! I need you to come home right now." The urgency in his voice confused and worried me. "There's something I need to talk to you about. I'll see you."

"That's weird," Himori spoke up after dad hung up. "He's only asking you to come home."

I glanced up to see Hitoshi looking at me with a concerned expression. I text him I'll be okay and not to worry, even though I was scared. Without another word I rushed home immediately to find my dad waiting at the dining room table with a notebook lying open on the table. Specifically my notebook.

"You've been lying to me." His arms were crossing and his gray eyes beamed down at me in anger. "The light music club, piano practice. It was all a lie so you could chase a stupid dream that's not going to come true!"

I shook my head in fear, which caused his anger to grow even more.

"Then explain this!" He shook the notebook in front of my face. "I found this on your desk. Notes on hero tactics and strategies. Shizuka, did you even apply for Ongaku?" My body froze as tears started to build in my eyes. Just like that, he ripped my notebook apart in front of me. "Come."

_Where?_ I wondered as he got out of his chair.

"To clean your room. The books, those stupid newspapers, everything. I want them gone. Then tomorrow we're going to Ongaku."

_No!_ I frantically shook my head. And took out my phone to reply. It was so hard typing with my tears blocking my view.

"WHY?" I typed in caps lock. "WHY ARE YOU SO AGAINST ME BECOMING A HERO? LET ME PROVE TO YOU THAT I CAN DO IT. IF HIMORI CAN BE A HERO WHY CAN'T I?"

"The only reason I let Himori go to Shiketsu is because he didn't have a quirk mutation like you. He was born to be a hero. You weren't. Its as simple as that."

_Please!_ I bowed down at his feet. _I'm begging you, don't take this away from me!_

"Shizuka," his voice lowered as he picked up my chin. "I'm only doing this for your safety. Losing your mother was hard enough, I can't go through that again with you. I'll give you a couple of minutes to calm down. I'll be upstairs once you're ready." Despite my dad's attempts to console me, I could feel no warmth from him. I couldn't feel anything but despair. My dreams were about to be ripped away from me.

_Why..._

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for the support guys! I'm glad to see you're liking the story so far. I promise we'll get to see her quirk in action in either the next chapter or 2. While there are some things she needs to work on with regards to her quirk, it'll take her some time (and professional to help out) but she'll become a pro at using her quirk in no time. I do have plans to upgrade her phone but since her family's considered "middle class" getting a new phone that can speak isn't in the cards for her right now and its kinda pricey. I'm surprised someone actually noticed the meaning of Shizuka's surname (Imya). While that wasn't the main reason, it was kind of part of it. I'm sure it doesn't come as a surprise to some but her name literary means "quiet place". Anyways, hope everyone is still enjoying the story. I have plans to have it merge with the MHA story line very soon (in a chapter or 2 not to worry). Until then. **


	4. What Are Friends For?

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 4: What are friends for?**

* * *

There's a reason Yiruma is my favorite pianist. Besides having the ability to compose beautiful pieces of music, he was also able to convey rich emotions that would resonate right through you without saying a word. That is why I took a likening to piano. With it I could express myself, my sorrow, anger, pain, all of my emotions onto the keys. I didn't have to make an effort to tell people what I was feeling, all I had to do was play. But today, no matter how good I played, I wasn't able able to show my true feelings. That person, who just played a minuet ago was nothing but a fabrication of what my dad wanted me to be.

"Amazing," clapped the Ongaku teacher, whose name I couldn't be bothered to remember. "You truly do have a gift for the musical arts."

"I agree," my dad smiled. "Shes been playing the piano since she was around five."

"I see," the teacher began while flipping through my application. "Although her application was filed later than our acceptance date, has passed the entrance exam with flying colors. I'm sure that the staff would be more than happy to make an exception for her."

"You did great Shizuka," My dad told me.

"I expect to see you soon Ms. Basho." the Ongaku teacher said with a soft grin.

_Yeah.._.I bowed before taking my leave off of the stage. I did great, but it wasn't what I wanted.

"You have no idea how proud I am of you," my dad stated as we got into the car. "I understand you're still upset about the hero thing but trust me. You'll be much happier and safe here."

_Smile and nod_, I told myself. The car ride home felt longer than it actually was, mostly due to the fact I was keeping my emotions from flooding out right in front of my dad. _I can't cry here...He'll only get angry. _As soon as we got home I rushed up to my room and locked the door. A rush of emotions started to come over me, my throat started to heat up and almost immediately the tears came.

"Shizu dear," Grandma knocked about five minuets later. "Can I come in?"

_No you can't._ I laid on my bed staring at my now empty desk. Everything, all of my hard work was gone just like that. Everything except for the article of mom my dad let me keep.

"Shizuka! Heiwa dear do something," Grandma shouted.

"She'll get over it. Just leave her be."

"You can't just leave her like that! You caused this, at least try to help her feel better!" I turned my back towards the wall. _I'm sorry grandma...but nothing he says will ever make me feel better._ For the next couple of hours I laid in bed staring off into space while my dad and grandma argued downstairs about getting me out of the room. Eventually, after being able to phase their voices out, I fell asleep.

* * *

***Knock! Knock!***

_Why is my window knocking?_ I wondered, not thinking anything of it. I almost fell back asleep until I heard the knocking sound again. It wasn't until I opened it to realize that windows don't knock. _Hitoshi? Why is he in my backyard? _My phone buzzed, showing that he was calling.

"Get dressed," he said while fumbling with the rocks he held in his hand.

_What are you-_

"We're going to take the entrance exams. We don't have all day. Now hurry up." I rubbed the tiredness out of my eyes, realizing just what was going on. Nodding my head at him, I threw my phone onto the bed and gently opened the door to see if anyone in the house was awake. Once I was able determine that the coast was clear I raced to the bathroom to get ready. After taking a quick shower I threw on a pair of black sports leggings and a yellow hoodie and ran back to my room to see Hitoshi still waiting patiently for me in the backyard.

"I let him in." I could've sworn nobody was awake. My heart dropped as I saw Himori in my room leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "You can thank me later." With the snap of his fingers Himori used his quirk, a mini cyclone appeared in front of my window.

_Himori... _I looked at him awe. Thank goodness that it was partly sunny out. The way Himori's cyclone quirk works is that he's able to create and spiral cyclones as long as there are clouds outside for him to manipulate. From transportation to blowing people out of the way, it was a pretty handy quirk when need be (on most days).

"See ya," he smiled. I nodded and jumped into Himori's cyclone that safely brought me to the ground near Hitoshi.

"Lets go," Hitoshi stated, while jumping the fence. I followed behind, running to the subway station as fast as my legs would take me.

_Is this really happening?_ After scanning our tickets we managed to snag some seats onto the already crowded subway train. _What the hell is going on? _Once my adrenaline dropped, I whipped out my phone and began asking Hitoshi a bunch of questions.

"Why did Himori let you in my house? Do you realize how much trouble I can get into?!" Hitoshi's phone started to blow up in seconds. Instead of taking it out he closed his eyes and rested his hands behind his head.

"Watching you work hard for your dreams gave me the encouragement I needed to pursue mine." He bluntly stated. "...Like I said, how can I hope to become a hero if I can't even help out the people in front of me."

_Hitoshi..._ I don't know how he does it, but he always seems to know just what to say to make me feel better. _This is my chance...if I can get into U.A. my dad will have no choice but to accept it...I can do it! No...we can do it._

"You're the best," I mouthed to him, smiling for the first time in days.

"No need to thank me," he smirked. "Just pass the entrance exams." I put my phone away and gave him a thumbs up in return.

_You better pass too. We didn't get this far to lose._ After reaching out destination I stood in awe at the rather large upscale school that stood in front of us. U.A. This was where Japan's best attended in hopes to pursue a career in being a pro hero.

"You done gawking?" I could hear the humor in his voice. "We didn't even go inside yet."

"Come on, you have to be a little bit excited at least," I texted to him.

"You're not wrong. But we still have to get past the exams. We'll celebrate afterwards alright?"

_Seriously?!_ That was enough to get me pumped. I threw my fist up in encouragement and followed behind Hitoshi where we then registered and took our seats for the written part of the entrance exams.

* * *

The morning started out pretty calm. After Shizuka left, I ate breakfast and went through my email, trying to decide which college I was going to attend after high school.

_To think I'm almost done..._ I thought to myself after narrowing my list down. _I-Island or America...both are pretty far but-_

"Shizuka? Shizuka!" I overheard Dad yelled from down the hall.

_I Forget to close the window...shit, my bad._ I mentally cursed as dad continued to pound on her bedroom door.

"Where is Shizuka?!" He yelled after busting into her room. It didn't take long for him to realize she wasn't there and that she wasn't home. "She snuck out?!" dad exclaimed as his blood boiled. The screaming got so loud that it even woke grandma up, whose room was all the way down stairs.

"She's missing?" she spoke with worry. Immediately afterwards Dad started calling my name, having no choice I close my laptop and walk out of my room to see Dad's anger rising.

"Himori." he began, looking at me dead in the eye. "Where did she go?"

"If I knew I would've told you earlier before you broke down her door." I replied with a calm, collected tone.

"She went to U.A didn't she? That damn Shinso brat she's been hanging around must've convinced her to sneak out. I knew that boy was no good."

"Don't you think you're taking this a bit too far?" I raised my eyebrow at him from being so dramatic.

"Don't be stupid Himori! He used his mind control quirk to make her sneak out, it all makes sense. That boy is a villain in the making!"

"No he's not!" I exclaimed, getting sick and tired of dad's attitude. _Why do I have to be the adult? Is he really that dumb? _"Shizuka finally made a friend after all these years and you're going to ruin that? You already wrecked her dreams dad, how far are you going to go with controlling her?!"

"...You knew didn't you? That she left earlier this morning." Dad's tone of voice lowered, causing the hair on the back of my neck stood up, but I didn't back down "Himori, you know what happened to your mother. Shizuka is-"

"Shizuka isn't mom! Mom's been dead for over ten years dad! When are you going to get that through your head?!"

"How dare you talk to your father like that," Dad growled. "I didn't raise you to talk back to your parents-"

"Enough!" Grandma exclaimed, slamming her cane down on the floor. "I'm tired of all of the fighting that has been going on! Himori, apologize to your father."

"What?!" I gasped in disbelief. I knew she was getting older, but I didn't think she was going senile.

"And Heiwa." she turned her head to him. "Let Shizuka take the test."

"What?!" his expression matched mine.

"She's already been accepted into Ongaku. Even if she fails there is no harm done." Grandma walks up to Dad and places a hand on his shoulder. "Heiwa dear, if you don't let her do this she'll resent you forever. Give her a chance."

Dad's gaze fell to the floor as he struggled to come up with a response. "...Fine." He sighed, walking down stairs in defeat.

"Well Himori dear? Go apologize to your father, okay." Grandma stated.

_Are you serious?_ As much as I wanted to argue, I bit my tongue. There was no fighting grandma once she stood her ground. _Whatever, let's get this over with._

* * *

_Glad that's over with_, I was never really a good test taker to begin with. The anxiety of test taking, always jinxed me when it came to tests. While I don't think I necessarily bombed the test, I was confident enough to say that I had passed it...barley.

_I can make it up with this part of the test! I can do this! _Since Hitoshi and I were from the same middle school we were separated into different testing areas to avoid any cooperation. All I could do was wish him luck as I entered the crowd of people eagerly waiting to take the practical part of the test. The test was simple, immobilize or destroy as many robots as we could within ten minutes. Easy villains scored us one point, medium villains two points and large, harder villains earned us three points.

"Alright let's start!" A voice suddenly boomed from one of the buildings. I looked up to see the extroverted Pro hero Present Mic. "Come on! There are no countdowns in real fights! Let's go, go go!"

Wasting no time I ran off away from the crowd and to an area that wasn't as crowded, shooting down as many robots as I could. _1...4...9...12.._.I tried to keep a mental note of how many robots I was able to take down. While I wasn't the fastest, my quirk, being long distance gave me the advance in being able to take the robots down before the other competitors could. While I did get some glares from some of the competitors, I paid no attention to them just focusing on getting as many points as I could.

"Six minutes and two seconds left!" Present Mic announced, causing my adrenaline to rise up.

_There's one!_ I went to aim and shoot only to have someone else steal my point.

"Out of the way albino!" This blond kid exclaimed before exploding off elsewhere. I watched him take off in mild shock.

_Was he talking to me?_ While I had never been called albino, I had to admit it was better than being called a school shooter. Before I could ponder the thought any longer I heard a scream to my left.

"I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die!" A boy cried as he threw purple balls at a large robot. Before the robot could do damage I shot it as much as I could, taking it down after at least a dozen shots. While I disabled the robot, my heart dropped as the robot went to fall towards the kid. _He's going to get crushed! _Letting my body take control, I leaped in and was able to put up an invisible wall.

_Hurry!_ I wanted to scream, but for obvious reasons I was unable to. The moment he got out of the way, I jumped back and tumbled a bit from the impact.

_Gotta be more careful_, I thought to myself while catching my breath. _My fingertips are starting to burn up...Ow that hurt. _I looked up to see him offer his hand. Taking it he helps me back up only to jump up and...hug me?

"You saved me!" He cried, as his grip got too tight for comfort.

_Okay, no. Get off please._ I immediately pushed the small grape haired boy off and took off before he could say another word. Not to be rude or anything, but we were in the middle of a test and there was only about two minutes left. While running through the city, I found it more difficult to find anymore robots. All the ones I ran into were disabled or destroyed by everyone else. _So far I've gotten about forty points...calm down. You can do this._

I twerked my head to the right and saw one more robot, thought it was one of the smaller ones it was a robot, functioning.

"Ten seconds!"

_Run!_ I screamed as my body mentally.

"Nine!...Eight!"

I put my hands together to form a handgun and made a leap.

"Five, four!"

_Please hit it! _I mentally exclaimed as I blasted a big air bullet at it.

"Three, two!"

_Gotcha!_

"One!" Before the alarm went off, the air bullet pierced clean through the robot, earning me one more point. And just like that, alarms went off and the test was over.

* * *

"We did it!" I texted Hitoshi, sending him an emoji with a party hat.

"Yeah..." He sighed, passing me a fresh baked peach bun. "Your hands..."

I just smiled and took a big bite of what tasted like victory. After we had finished, a small old lady came around and healed up everyone's injuries...although she was able to take the burning pain away I was feeling in my fingertips she said the burns that I had gotten would probably take a week to heal. But I didn't mind, I was too preoccupied with deciding what I was going to get at the bakery at the moment, mostly due to the fact that I had skipped dinner last night and breakfast this morning. I was starving.

"They'll be okay," I replied to him. "Thank you for treating by the way. I really do owe you."

"Its fine," he sighed for the hundredth time today.

"No seriously," I shook my head. "If you didn't stop by this morning I probably would've been in bed depressed still..."

"Come on already." He groaned before taking a bite of his red bean bun. "You're acting like you've never had a friend before."

"Well..." I took a deep breathe before admitting it. "You're my first friend, and best friend. I'm just really grateful to have you in my life." I could've sworn I saw a hint of pink on his cheeks , but before my mind could confirm it my phone started to buzz.

"Hey! Congrats!" Himori's voice echoed from the phone. I turned it on speaker so Hitoshi could hear too. "Hope the test went well! I'm sure you guys did great! Also, good news. Grandma was able to talk to Dad so you should have no issues when coming home tonight. I'll see you later Shizu-chan. Bye Toshi!"

_Himori's going to college soon..._ I realized after he hung up. _I'm really going to miss him when he goes..._

"What's up?" I heard Hitoshi ask. I lifted my head up to see him starting. "You look a bit down all of a sudden."

"I..." It would take a long time to explain everything, and I wasn't really in the mood to write it out...I'll tell him another day. "...Could I get another peach bun?"

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for the support! I know everyone is itching to know which class Shizuka and Shinso will get into but you'll just have to wait until the next chapter. Sorry! I know someone mentioned shooting Shizuka's dad (YaoiLovingKitsune) and while it was a possibility I feel as though doing so would make her come off as too reckless (which shes been trying to work on). Though it would probably be kinda satisfying to see him pay for making her sad :( I'll do my best to have these updates consistent, but until then hope you guys are still liking the story lol. All criticism is welcomed, the good and bad. Until next time~**


	5. Almost There

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 5: Almost there**

* * *

The next couple of days were...awkward to say the least. After the entrance exams, my dad had kept quiet except for the occasional nod or asking how I was (which would always end with me smiling and nodding I was okay). I could tell that he wasn't exactly happy with me sneaking out the other day, and because I knew that I never brought it up. That isn't all either, Himori's been packing for college. Every time I passed his room I would see more and more of his stuff packed. I was both happy and sad. He was chasing his dreams just like I was.

_No more training sessions with Himori..._I sighed, walking downstairs. I was going to miss those days when it was him, Hitoshi, and I. Immediately I shook my head in attempts to dismiss the depressing thoughts. _Don't frown because it's over. Smile because it happened._

I walked into the kitchen to find my dad sitting at the table with his arms folded. After saying good morning, I peak my head into the fridge to see what my options were for breakfast. _Rice and eggs sound good-_

"Shizuka," my dad began. "Have a seat." I turned my head to see his eyes watching me carefully. With little hesitation, I take a seat across from him to notice a letter sitting in the middle of the table. It was a plain white envelope embedded with a red seal that read U.A on it. My stomach dropped. My results had finally arrived.

_This is it..._ I started at the untouched letter, mesmerized. I looked up at dad to see his reaction. I couldn't read his expression but I couldn't help but wonder what was going through his head right now. Was he angry? Upset? Maybe happy?

"Go ahead," he said. "Open it." With my hands I genitally ripped open the letter to find a hologram. Perplexed, I placed it at the center of the table to see if anything was going to happen.

_What now?_ I observed the device. After tapping it, a hologram of All Might appeared.

"I am here! His voice startled me. "As a projection! As the newest member of the U.A. faculty I am here to announce your results for the entrance exams! Young Shizuka Basho, while you scored average on the written exam you were able to score into the top ten from the amount of points you earned from the practical exam."

_T-top ten?!_ My mouth dropped as a scoreboard of the top ten scores appeared. _I tied in seventh with...Izuku Midoriya..._

"You've scored forty combat points and from your heroic acts in saving your pier, twenty rescue points!" All Might continued as clips from the test displayed on the screen.

I stared in awe with my heart racing as the world's number one hero continued to speak.

"It is with great honor I am happy to announce you passed the entrance exams," All Might announced, extending his hand out towards me. "Young Shizuka Basho, welcome to the hero course. Class 1-A."

_I did it..._I rubbed my eyes before the tears could flow out. _I did it, I did it!_

"You did it," Dad started with a worried yet happy look on his face. "Congrats Shizuka. You did well." Reaching from under the table, Dad pulls out a black box with a bright red ribbon crowning it.

My body froze, my dad had just congratulated me with something hero related. Something I had not seen coming in years or a lifetime. I looked at the box then back at him to see him nodding his head. It was a present. Taking it I gently shake it to hear styrofoam. Something fragile must've been inside. Not wasting another second I open it to find a white smartphone. And not just any phone, the brand new latest edition, Famsung X.

"It has a text to voice option so communication will be easier." I stared at the device with awe. Testing it out I open up the text to talk app to write down my reply.

"Thank you!" the phone exclaimed in a monotone womanly voice. Despite sounding a bit robotic, I was overwhelmed with happiness.

"Listen," Dad sighed with his arms crossed. "As glad as I am to see you happy I'm still not 100% on board with you going...but, I'm willing to let you give it a try. Just promise me you'll be careful okay?" I nodded my head eagerly before giving him a hug.

_Thank you dad_, I smiled.

"You're stubborn just like your mother," Dad lightly chuckled. "Remember we're dropping Himori at the airport tomorrow, so don't stay up late tonight okay?"

_...Yeah_, I nodded my head again before sending Hitoshi the good news.

"Hey its Shizuka! I got a new phone! Also good news, I passed!" I texted him with a smiling emoji. "How did you do?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't gotten my results yet." He stated. "Would you like to come over for lunch? My mom's making oyakodon."

I nearly dropped my phone re-reading Hitoshi's invite. _It's just a casual visit. Why am I nervous?_ My hands started to sweat while my heart started to pound a bit too fast. _Probably because I've never been to his house before...yeah, that's it._

"Yes! I'll be over later."

"Great." He replied. "Also, congratulations."

* * *

_Just knock already!_ I exclaimed mentally, fighting my body to do what I say. _Okay, on the count of three: 1...2...3!_ Still nothing. My body stood at Hitoshi's front door frozen. Again, I took another deep breath and after another attempt I was able to get myself to knock on the front door.

"Hitoshi can you get that!" I heard from the other side. After about a minuet of waiting I began to hear footsteps making their way to the door. However...

"Hm?" an older man with dark purple hair similar to Hitoshi opened the door with a look of mild confusion.

_This is the place right?_ My body froze once again. _Please say something._

"Ooh!" His tired face went from confusion to recognition. "I had forgotten that Hitoshi invited someone over. My bad, I'm Hitoshi's father. Please, come in."

_What a relief_, I sighed feeling the tension flow right out of me. Before entering, I bow and remove my shoes. _Wow its so nice here!_ I noticed, observing their small yet cozy house. Before my mind could drift off I immediately took out my phone and introduced myself.

"My name is Shizuka Basho. It's nice to meet you." I stated, using my new text to voice app. Hitoshi's father then raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Likewise." he smiled. "Hitoshi has told us a bit about you. Oyakodon's your favorite?"

I blushed while nodding my head. "Great," he continued. "Hey Hitoshi, your friend is here!"

"Right," I heard a familiar voice sigh from down the hall. I then took a quick glance at his dad then back at Hitoshi walking over and wondered if the eye bags were a family trait, considering Hitoshi always seemed to get enough sleep as far as I know.

_I wonder if that's what Hitoshi is going to look like when he gets older..._I thought.

"So you're officially a U.A. student now huh," Hitoshi smirked. "Congrats."

"I couldn't have done it without you," I admitted. Hitoshi frowned, looking at my new phone.

"Your dad got you that?" I nodded, while letting Hitoshi take a look at it. "I don't like the voice."

"It does sound a bit robotic doesn't it," I replied while silently laughing.

"I just can't picture you having a robotic voice," he stated. "You look like the type of girl to have one of those higher-pitched voices."

"You think so? Its been so long I can't remember what my voice sounds like."

"You have a quirk mutation, correct?" Hitoshi's dad asked. "May I conduct a quick assessment on you?"

"Hunny!" I heard Hitoshi's mother yelled from the kitchen. "Stop acting like your at work!"

"I don't mind at all," I replied, which perked a grin in Mr. Shinso's face.

"Great!" he exclaimed, taking out a penlight. "It'll just take a second, all I need you to do is open your mouth and try to say ahh." Doing as he said, Mr. Shinso conducted his assessment quick to my surprise. "It's hard to tell, but based on a visual view, your throat shows a little bit of damage. Though I'm not familiar with your medical background I don't think it's far-fetched to-."

Before he finished a knock on the door was heard. We all turned our head to see the mailman outside doing his job. In his hand a letter, and not just any letter. U.A...I observed as Hitoshi's dad went to get the mail. Since lunch was pretty much ready we gathered at the table and decided to eat, but I could see the look on Hitoshi's face. He wore a look of slight impatience after his mom urged him to wait to open the letter after lunch.

"Furano?" Hitoshi's mother repeated. During the mist of conversation the topic of my hometown had somehow submerged. "I've always wanted to go there, but it's so far up north."

"Why's that?" Hitoshi's dad asked her as her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"They have this big beautiful field of flowers, I've seen pictures of it on the internet." I nodded my head, confirming what she had said. The mention of it brought back faint memories of my early childhood.

"My mother used to take my brother and I there a lot when we were younger," I mentioned with the feeling of nostalgia creeping up on me. I only had a hand full of memories that I could remember with her, and every single one of them were filled with nothing but innocence and happiness.

_I was about four when she passed_, I started to think back. She never did get the chance to see my quirk, it made me wonder what she would've said about it. From what dad had told me, she too had a quirk mutation.

"Thank you for the meal," Hitoshi slightly bowed before excusing himself from the table. "You finished too?" he glanced down at my now empty plate. I nodded my head after bowing to his parents in respect.

"Aren't you eager," his dad chuckled, watching his son quickly grab the letter from U.A. "Hitoshi. Whatever happens, I'm proud of you."

"Right," Hitoshi replied as he walked outside with me following behind.

We took a seat on the bench his parents had in the front porch of the house. I watched as he ripped open the letter carefully. I swear I was just as anxious as he was to see how he did. Just like mine, his came with a hologram device that displayed All Might's optimistic smile. As All Might did a quirk review about Hitoshi's scores I found my eyes darting back and forth from Hitoshi's facial expression to All Might. As the hologram recording came to an end, I started feeling great discomfort in my stomach.

"I'm not surprised," he murmured just loud enough for me to hear. "I wasn't able to score any points during the practical portion of the exam. With a quirk like mine how could you?..."

"It's not fair...you worked so hard for this." I replied to him.

"Life's not fair," he sighed. "I don't expect you to understand though since you've been blessed with a heroic quirk."

"I can't laugh, sing, or scream because of my quirk. How is losing the basic ability to communicate a blessing?" I asked.

"You of all people should know that actions speak louder than words." He looked at me with an annoyed look. "People will only remember what you do as a hero, not what you say."

_While your scores were not enough to get you into the hero course, we gladly welcome you to the general education course! Class 1-C!_ All Might's words rang in my head a couple of times. Despite my frustration rising I wasn't able to bring myself to be angry at him. I was frustrated at the situation. Hitoshi had not gotten into the hero class. After all of the hard work we had put in together... Was he angry at me? No, but I had to remind myself that before I said something I would've regretted later. _Don't take it personal Shizuka... _"I just want to help you."

"That's just it...there's nothing you can do. This is something I have to do on my own."

_Really? There's nothing I can do to help?_ My gaze fell at the expense of my guilt.

"Stop looking guilty." I looked up in mild embarrassment to see him staring at me. "The last thing I want is your pity."

_Right..._I slowly nodded my head, not taking my gaze off of him.

"I will get into the hero course." He spoke with determination. "That's a fact...I'll become the greatest hero ever! It may have not worked this time, but just you watch..."

Seeing his eyes quiver with mixed emotions nearly killed me. While I wanted nothing but to help him, after listening to Hitoshi talk I realized that he did have a point. This was his trial for him to endure and go through. For once, I put my phone away and with little thought did something bold. I gently grabbed his hand, instantly getting his attention and smiled.

"I believe in you," I mouthed while giving his hand a gentle squeeze to let him know I was there for him. It wasn't much, but even if I was able to help Hitoshi by supporting him in the slightest bit that would be enough for me.

"Yeah..." he replied, with his expression lightening up just a bit. "Thank you Shizuka."

* * *

Today was the day. After walking past Himori's now empty room for the hundredth time and the long car ride we had finally arrived at the international airport. Himori was going to college.

"I can't believe it," my dad sighed. "My boy is all grown up."

"Come on dad stop it," Himori lightly laughed. "I'll be back before you guys know it."

"Do you have your passport on you?" grandma asked him for the tenth time today.

"Yes granny," he sighed in a of-course-I-do tone.

"Just checking. Make sure you keep that close to you at all times. And do keep in touch dear," grandma smiled. "And send lots of pictures!"

"Its not like I'm going on vacation." Himori then looks at me as if he was waiting for a response. I pulled out my phone and texted him a big thumbs up.

_I don't know what else to say.._.Himori was leaving and for some reason I couldn't think of anything else to day except for goodbye and good luck. This was an important moment for Himori and yet all I could think about was how upset Hitoshi was yesterday. _I'm a terrible sister..._

"Hey," Himori began as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "I know Hitoshi's your best friend, but you have to worry about yourself first. Remember, school comes before boys. The fact that you were able to make it into that school is amazing."

"Wait! What do you mean by that?" I asked, tilting my head.

"I'm not stupid Shizu-chan," He laughed. It took my a minute to register what he was implying, and after realizing what he was suggesting I found myself blushing.

_You think that I like Hitoshi?!_ I mentally exclaimed in disbelief. _But you do though_, my conscious immediately snapped back at me, while recalling how I held his hand yesterday. Immediately, my face went from pink to red in embarrassment.

"He's right," Grandma concurred. "Take advantage of this opportunity Shizu-dear."

"Don't you have a plane to catch?" I texted him.

"Yeah, yeah," Himori then pulled me into a hug. "See you later." I nodded and mouthed him goodbye before my dad and grandma went to hug him. We waited there until Himori got passed the security check and left. The car ride was quiet for the most part with dad playing some of his CD's. I found myself dozing off enjoying the passing scenery until Grandma suddenly started to go into a coughing fit.

"Are you okay?" Dad pulled over to the side of the road.

"I'm sorry," Grandma spoke after catching her breathe. "Yes I'm okay."

"You've had that cough for a while now, good thing you have your doctor's appointment coming up." Dad stated.

_Grandma's...sick?_ I wondered. Though I wasn't a medical expert, she looked completely healthy to me for her age. I didn't even notice she had the cough until dad had mentioned it.

"Are you okay Shizu-dear?" Grandma looked back at me with her closed-eye smile. I nodded, covering up my worried emotions with a smile.

_I hope she's okay._ I thought myself, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. My gut dropped at the thought of losing her.

"Oh look! There's a package at the door!" Grandma exclaimed as we pulled into the driveway. After getting out of the car I picked up the package and place it onto the kitchen table to read who it was sent to.

_Me?_ Curious, I opened it to find my U.A school uniform. Excitement immediately took over as it dawned on me that I was a step closer to achieving my dreams. _That's right...I start high school next week_. Starting next week, I would begin a new chapter in my life at U.A. high school. The number one ranked school in Japan for heroes._ I can't wait!_

* * *

**A/N: After careful consideration I decided that Shizuka will be taking Hagakure's place in class 1-A. Nothing against her, but from a logical standpoint I can't see why or how she was able to pass the practical part of her exam (don't get me wrong, shes got a cool quirk). I apologize if this upsets people but this is what I've decided to do after thinking it through. Anyways, hope everyone's excited to see Shizuka encounter class 1-A in the next chapter! We're finally hitting the mha story line! Also, on a side note updates may be slow for the next couple of weeks (I'm going on vacation soon!) so I apologize again in advance. The feedback you guys give me is great and I really appreciate the support. As always thank you guiiiise OwO**


	6. Self Growth

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 6: Self-Growth**

* * *

"Shizu-dear you look beautiful," my grandma smiled.

Today was finally the day. I looked into the mirror with awe, staring at myself wearing the official U.A school uniform. Excitement was an understatement to how I was feeling. Smiling at grandma I nod my head and give her a thumbs up. After throwing on a pair of black high knee socks and brown slip on shoes I said goodbye to my dad and grandma and ran out the door to made my way to the train station in hopes to catch the train with Hitoshi.

_I haven't talked to him since he got his results._ I searched the train, looking for a certain indigo-haired boy. _I hope he's doing okay. _Deciding not to fret on the situation, I send him a text that read 'good morning'. I eagerly wait for a reply, checking my phone every other minute. It wasn't until I got off of the train did it hit me. Hitoshi had left me on read, which could have meant that A) he wasn't going to text me back, or B) he was busy. Taking the benefit of the doubt, I assumed something must have come up.

Walking into the school, I get my I.D. badge and observe all of the different unique types of people here. Unlike middle school, a lot more people here appeared to have slight or dramatic quirk mutations. It also appeared that it wasn't as clique-y but of course it was the first day so who knows what was going to happen. As far as I'm concern it was a brand-new start for me, no more school shooter. Still, I was in shock that out of all of the hundreds of people who applied, I was one of the lucky ones who were able to get into the hero course. With four being accepted through recommendations that left thirty-six seats left open for all of Japan.

_What the-?_ My eyes started to the front door of the classroom where a man crawled out of a yellow sleeping man. From the looks of it, he was lecturing the students who stood at the doorway about time management. _Is he supposed to be the teacher?_

"You there," his gaze turned to me. "Speaking of time management. Your late."

_Me?_ I tilted my head.

"Yes you. Quit sightseeing and get into the classroom." With no hesitation, I slide my way into the classroom and quickly plopped my stuff onto one of the few remaining empty desks in the classroom. Turned out my hunch about him being the teacher was right. Shota Aizawa was his name and from the looks of it he was not only a teacher but a pro hero as well. Being a man of few words Mr. Aizawa kept his introduction brief and with little to say instructed us to put our gym uniforms following with meeting him outside. I had to say though, despite his apathetic cold demeanor, I liked how direct and blunt he was. Straight to the point, making what he expected and wanted clear.

"A quirk assessment test?!" Most of the class exclaimed.

"But we're going to miss orientation!" cried the pretty brunette, Ochako Uraraka.

"If you want to make the big leagues you can't waste time on ceremonies," Mr. Aizawa bluntly told her. "Here at U.A. we don't follow the standard curriculum. Which means I get to run my class however I see fit."

_Couldn't have said it better myself. _I nodded my head agreeing with him. Mr. Aizawa then went on to explain the assessment tests and how we would be expected to use our quirks.

"All of you need to know your maximum capabilities," he stated. Like most of the class I could feel the excitement, for once we were being encouraged to use our quirks at school. It was going to be interesting seeing the rest of my classmates quirks. "Its the most rational way of figuring out your potential of becoming a pro hero. With that being said, today you will all engage in these physical tests to test your potential. Whoever comes in last will be expelled immediately."

Almost instantly, the air turned tense and nearly everyone's jaw dropped except for a few (including mine).

_Not a problem._ I thought with confidence. _I may not be able to get in first, but as long as I don't place in last I'll be okay._

"Show me it's no mistake that your here," Mr. Aizawa stated after explaining the reasoning for his test. From grip strength to agility we were being tested on basic athletic abilities but when you throw our quirks into the equation, things got interesting. One kid had a laser quirk, and this one other girl, Momo Yaoyorozo, was able to make a scooter on the spot I kid you not. While I performed average on those tests, I was hoping I could do pretty good on the softball throwing test so I could be anywhere but ranked last. There was one kid who did come to mind though, Izuku Midoriya. The boy that I somehow managed to tie with in the entrance exams. I noticed that he was mentally freaking out for the most part on every single part of the test, which gave me the impression that he has trouble using his quirk. It even made me wonder how he was able to get into the hero course.

"You there, Shizuka Basho. You're next." My eyes perked up while walking up to the teacher. Handing me a softball I then quickly glance back at my classmates who were all watching me with careful eyes.

_I'll give them something to watch_, I smirked and threw the softball up in the air with my right hand as I used my left hand to point and aim at the softball. After getting perfect aim, I shoot it with an air bullet, causing the softball to go flying out of the school grounds.

"Nine hundred meters," Aizawa read the results. The class awed in amazement.

"Wow, that's a pretty cool shooting quirk!" Eijiro Kirishima exclaimed with a toothy grin.

_Thank you_, I nodded my head in his direction.

"Whats the matter? Cat got your tongue?" I rolled my eyes at Kirishima. If I had a yen for every time someone made that comment at me I'd probably be rich.

Quickly I take my phone out to briefly text him. "I have a mime quirk."

"No phones during class Basho," Mr. Aizawa called me out. Extending his hand, he motions me to surrender my phone. I look at him in mild shock. Deciding it would be in my best interest to not hesitate I quickly walked back up to him.

"I'm well aware of your quirk mutation. However, this isn't the time for chit-chat," He explained after I placed my phone onto the palm of his hand. "You'll get this back after class."

"Quirk mutation?" whispered Mina Ashido, the girl who was pink form head to toe.

"Wait a second," Kirishima began her. "So like, you can't talk?"

"What?! No way!" It didn't take long for word to spread, within minuets the whole class seemed to have known about my quirk deformity and with it came the usual stares of curiosity that I had grown so accustomed to. I look over at Ashido and nodded my head.

"That's so cool! You'd make an awesome assassin!" I looked at the orange haired boy, Denki Kaminari, in disbelief, not knowing how to take his comment. Though his tone of voice came off a friendly and I'm sure he meant no harm, his delivery of it was...sloppy to say the least.

_Uhm...thank you?_ I gave him an unsure smile as Mr. Aizawa continues to test the rest of the class. Next up was Izuku Midoriya, the boy who managed to under perform at almost every test.

_Did he get in by a stroke of luck?_ I wondered as he stepped up to the front of the class to perform the softball test. I watched as his face went from discouraged to confident as he twerked his arm back before casting the softball forwards...only to have Mr. Aizawa cancel out his quirk.

"What the-?!" Midoriya panicked, holding his hand in shock.

"I erased your quirk," Mr. Aizawa informed him as his scarf started to become loose. "The judges for this exam were not rational enough. Someone like you should never be allowed at this school."

_So hes going home?_ I wondered as I listened into the other students gossip about him. To my surprise, Midoriya had become quite popular from knocking out the huge robot in the entrance exams with only a single punch. It piqued my curiosity as to how someone who many claimed to be powerful would be the one to get expelled.

"You're not ready," Mr. Aizawa continued. "Were you planning on breaking your bones again and let someone else save your useless body?"

"What?! No-"

"You'd be nothing more than a liability in battle." Mr. Aizawa interrupted him, causing Midoriya to tremble. "Sorry Midoriya, there is no way you can become a hero."

_If you've made it this far you better keep on going_. My eyes glared at the nervous wreck that stood before Eraserhead. Hearing those words brought non-pleasant memories back into my conscious. _There are people who are killing to be where you stand..._

I quickly shook my head, in attempts to push the past away. This wasn't the time to sulk, nor did I have any intention of sulking. Turning my attention to Midoriya I noticed the look he had on his face was filled with mixed emotions. Worry, sadness, panic, and...determination? Within seconds the class awed and I found my mouth dropping ever so slightly at the sight. With all of his strength, Midoriya shot the ball far out into the air. However, what was most important was that he was still standing and determined just as ever for whatever came next.

_He did it..._

* * *

Tenth place. Out of everyone in the class I managed to rank average. I was a little disappointed at myself, but it wasn't enough to ruin my day.

"I'll let you use it when appropriate in class," Mr. Aizawa told me after handing me back my cell phone. "I don't think I need to explain what would happen if you were caught using it for means other than your education." I nod my head and slightly bow. After witnessing him scare Midoriya to near death I knew not to dare take advantage of his generosity. After getting my phone back from Mr. Aizawa I raced to the train station, barley making the train back home. Which resulted in me having to stand for the whole ride, a consequence for not getting onto the train early. Luckily however, I caught notice of a familiar face in the crowd of people which made the situation a little better.

"How was your first day?" I texted Hitoshi with one free hand. He then glances at his phone then up to see me standing next to him.

"It was alright," he lets out a sigh that made it sound like something was bothering him.

"What's bothering-" Before I should show him my reply, he gently grabs my wrist, preventing me from doing so.

"Don't worry about me," immediately he then lets go. "Anyways...What about you? I noticed your class wasn't at orientation."

"Mr. Aizawa says we don't have time for ceremonies if we want to make it into the big leagues."

"Your teacher sounds pretty smart," Hitoshi replied, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You got a lot of competition ahead of you though if you want to be the number one hero."

"I don't though," I told him. Earning a confused, mild surprised look from Hitoshi. "As long as I can make a difference and help create a safer world, I really don't care what rank I land in."

I don't crave the spotlight really. In fact, I never did. There are so many families out there broken and impacted from the actions of villains and bad guys, mine included. I want to help create a society where families can live with a peace of mind, while being able to live a simple life in comfort without someone running down the street asking for my autograph every minute.

"I see..." He then paused as our stop slowly came up. Following from behind the walk from the train station to home was in complete silence. The kind of silence where you could almost relax...almost.

_He's upset_, I noticed. It wasn't obvious, but I could tell from the small minuscule details from his posture hunched over ever so slightly to the off tone of his voice. Before Hitoshi and I parted ways I tapped his shoulder and smiled.

"Whats up?" he raised an eyebrow.

"See you tomorrow?" I wrote out with a question mark.

"Whys that a question?" he immediately asked.

"You missed the train this morning," I replied. "I was worried something happened."

"Shizuka worry about yourself," he spoke harshly. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop worrying about me?"

I blinked a couple of times, digesting his words. I understood exactly what he was saying but what he was asking for was a lot easier said than done. Deciding to take the high road, I nodded my head while rubbing the back of my head in embarrassment.

"...Anyways its getting late, tell your brother I said hi." Hitoshi finished before walking off. "See ya."

_Right.._.my smile immediately dropped. He didn't know that Himori was away at college. _We haven't really talked in a while. I never got the chance to tell him. _It was then, reality started to hit me. Things weren't going to be like they used to be before. Hitoshi and I were in separate classes, different worlds practically.

_Himori's right...I need to focus on myself._..While I had accomplished my goal of getting into the hero course, I couldn't afford to let anything distract me. Especially since Mr. Aizawa had a history for expelling anyone he doesn't deem fit for the hero course. And of course, my dad was on thin ice with me attending U.A as it is. To be the hero like my mother was I need to better myself...

* * *

**I'm back! Sorry for the sad moments in this chapter. Shinso's still grumpy, and Shizuka just wants to help. I promise next chapter will have more of Shizuka interacting with class 1-A. Not much to say other than that. Reviews are nice, thanks for the support it really helps. Byeee!**


	7. Bad Communication

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 7: Bad Communication**

* * *

Lunchtime. The cafeteria was bustling and busy as everybody from the school headed down to eat. My eyes looked around the room for a potential place to sit as I waited in line to get lunch. Truth be told, I wasn't exactly comfortable sitting with my class. I could already see the cliques forming and as people started sitting with each other such as Midoriya, Iida, and Uraraka. Kirishima and the guys and the girls, to whom of which I've barley spoken (texted) to.

"Next," the pro hero Lunch Rush called out. Stepping up to the counter I look at my options. Luckily for me there was a menu so all I had to do was point to what I wanted rather than hold up the line with my texting.

_Wow, the yakisoba looks great_. My eyes glanced down at the fresh stir-fried noodles on my tray then back up as I slowly walked out into the open floor of the cafeteria. _I wonder where I should sit though..._

"Hey Basho!" As if on cue, Kirishima waves to me from the sea of tables surrounding him and some of the guys. "You look lost, come sit with us!"

_Its him!_ My eyes darted back and caught sight of a certain indigo-haired boy lazily waiting for food.

"Well? Come on," my attention then reverted back to Kirishima who was patiently waiting for an answer. "You need a place to sit right?"

_Worry about yourself,_ Hitoshi's words still rang in my head from the other day, leaving a lingering stinging pain. Going against the safe option which would be go sit with Hitoshi, I take my chances and sit with the Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero.

_Its just for a day_, I consoled myself at the fact they decided to sit with Bakugou, the most frustrated angry man on the planet. _Tomorrow I can find somewhere else. _I mentally prepared myself for whatever would happen as I made my way to their table. The guys then started to talk about their results from the Quirk Assessment Test and how they did and to my surprise even did their best to include me in the conversation.

"Seriously, waiting for you to reply is getting annoying." Bakugou complained. "I feel like I'm talking to a toddler."

"Come on man, you know she can't talk." Kirishima told him in my defense.

"Like I care," Bakugou huffed out, finishing the rest of his lunch.

"Says the one acting like a toddler," I mouthed at him.

"Oh man she got you!" Sero laughed, nearly choking on his food.

"What was that?!" Bakugou slammed his hand onto the table, glaring at me dead in the eye in attempts to intimidate me. "What the hell did you say you mute freak?!"

I couldn't help but join in on Sero's laughter. Bakugou wasn't as scary as people made him out to be, but he was easy to get riled up. I could see why alot of people were put off or intimidated by him, but at the end of the day I knew he meant no harm...at least physically. This was a school for heroes after all. I looked up at Bakugou as his red eyes glared at me with impatience and found myself intrigued at the fact that someone as angry as him was still engaging in conversation with any of us.

"You can read lips Sero?" Kaminari asked him.

"I consider myself pretty good," he admitted with a cocky smile.

"You know come to think of it, it would be pretty cool to learn how to read lips. Think of all of the secret conversations we could have!" Kirishima exclaimed.

"If you'd like I can teach you," I offered.

"Yeah! That'd be awesome!" Kirishima grinned.

"Lets start tomorrow then!" Kaminari agreed.

"Wait whats going on? Hey!" Bakugou shouted, as we carried on the conversation without him.

_I really wasn't expecting this to go well, guess I found a place to sit at during lunch. _I smiled as lunch time started to wrap up. _Thank you Kirishima._

* * *

Hero Basic Training. Everyone had been waiting for this since the day started. I was feeling goose bumps as our teacher, the one and only, All Might graced us with his presence and announced that we'd be engaging in combat training. However, it wasn't until I got to put on my hero outfit that it all started to feel real.

_Wow..._I was mesmerized by my hero outfit. I made sure to incorporate things in my clothing allowance and quirk registration form that would help me with my quirk better such as having a pair of high-tech goggles for shooting and aiming my air-bullets long distance. A good pair of comfortable brown gloves to minimize the wear and tear my fingers tend to take when I over use my quirk. Also, I made sure that my yellow sleeveless bodysuit was breathable and stretchy to allow full flexibility for whenever I get into tough situations and light high knee boots that would help to silence out my footsteps. As for the red scarf, it was more of a memento of my mother then anything, since she too wore one as part of her hero outfit.

"Look at us, we look like actual heroes!" Kirishima grinned.

"I like your scarf Basho!" Uraraka smiled at me. "Its so cute!"

_Thank you_, I smiled and nodded my head at her.

"You have one too?!" A familiar voice cried out. It took me a second to find out where it was coming from but the moment I looked down and discovered a petite boy with a purple suit and yellow scarf I found my answer.

_It's that kid I saved from the entrance exams!_ To be honest, I was kind of surprised to see he had made it into the hero course but I guess kudos to him. _Oh no, I can't even remember his name._

"Maybe that is a sign we should be partners," he smiled awkwardly.

_You're reading way to much into this_, I politely shook my head, praying to the gods that this exercise was going to be more of an individual one. I had nothing personal against the purple haired kid, but with my phone tucked safely away in my backpack I had no way of communicating other than body language. _Unless I get partnered up with Sero, he can read lips after all. But the chances of that happening are near to impossible._

"For this training exercise you'll be split into teams of two as the good guys and bad guys. A 2 vs. 2 battle. As you know the best training you get is one on the battle field!" All Might announced while going over the terms and conditions of the combat training.

_Of course it is_, I frowned while others were ecstatic.

"How much can we hurt the other team?" Bakugou asked. While it sounded sadistic, coming from him, I had to admit I was curious too. Since we would be in combat with people rather than robots this time, damage control was something important to consider.

"Will you be splitting us up by chance or by skill?" Iida also asked.

"Let me finish before answering any questions! For this exercise the villains have a hidden nuclear missile in their base. The villains goal is to protect the weapon or capture the heroes while the heroes must recover the weapon or capture the villains! Now then, to answer your question from before Iida your partners will be chosen at random by taking a name out of this box!" All Might gently shook the box he was referring to and placed it on a table were we took a piece of paper out of it one by one.

_Team I_, I read the name on my paper.

"Yo," Mashirao Ojiro waved to me. "You got Team I too?" I nodded my head and slightly bowed to introduce myself.

"Shizuka Basho right? If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is your quirk?"

I mentally sighed, feeling the dreading feeling of defeat before we had even started combat. _Does he really expect me to start talking? No, he probably doesn't even know I can't talk._

"I can't talk," I mouthed slowly to him. I ended up having to repeat it twice before he got the message.

"Oh you can't talk. My bad, I didn't know." Ojiro rubbed the back of his head, feeling slightly embarrassed "Anyways, I'm sure the two of us will make a great team."

_It's okay_, I smiled. Once All Might announced which teams would be going first for the combat training everyone else headed up to the observatory room to watch from afar.

_Bakugou and Iida vs. Midoriya and Uraraka...this should be interesting_, from what I had over heard in class Bakugou and Midoriya had gone to the same middle school. The two appeared to be rivals. Leaning back, I use my quirk to plop myself onto an invisible chair, as everyone else stood and watched the fight unfold.

"Are you sitting in mid air?!" Ashido exclaimed as a couple of other people awed.

_You could say that_, I had discovered this neat little trick in middle school. Learning how to perfect this was a lot like learning how to swim, I had to relax my body while focusing the use of my quirk to the lower half of my body. After finding a comfortable position I sat and continued to watch their fight, amazed by Midoriya's intelligence and strength. The advantage of knowing Bakugou helped him anticipate his attacks, giving him the upper hand.

_Wow, there are some pretty amazing people in this class...I need to do my best and prove I deserve to be here..._

* * *

And just like that, it was our turn. Ojiro and I as the villains versus Todoroki and Shoji, the heroes. Standing in front of the nuclear missile, my heart raced as Ojiro stood beside me stretching his arms.

_This is going to be __difficult_, I thought to myself. With no way of communicating to Ojiro quickly, things were going to be difficult no doubt. However, despite the odds stacked against up I somehow felt this surge of optimism flow through me. I started to recall what Todoroki and Shoji's quirks were. Ice and dupli-arms. Which probably meant that I would have to keep my distance when fighting them, which was no problem for me since I considered myself a long distance fighter.

"Let's do our best," Ojiro smiled calmly. I gave him a thumbs up and returned the smile.

"Alright let's go!" All Might's voice echoed, giving us the signal to begin. Fifteen minutes was all we had. If we could hold them back along enough, victory would be ours. Slowly walking to the edge of the door I hold the palms of my hands out and put up an invisible wall.

"A barrier?" Ojiro asked. Replying with a nod he then says: "Nice. That should hold them back for a little bit. But we should think of a back up plan just in case."

_I agree_, before nodding my head a second time my body went tense. Though it was faint I could hear something crawling its way toward us. Releasing the barrier I peak my head outside and see ice racing its way toward us. _Jump!_ I wave my hands up, trying to get Orijo to jump. He looks at me with a perplexed look, lifting up an eyebrow. With no time to waste, I make an effort to jump as high as I can and barley manage to escape Todoroki's ice.

"His quirk is insane!" Ojiro gasped, as his feet were stuck in the ice. With no time to think, I start shooting air bullets around the ice, helping Orjio brake free before putting up an invisible barrier again.

"Thank you Basho," Ojiro puts a hand on my shoulder. "I'll take care of them, you guard the missile."

_No offence but I doubt you can take them on by yourself_, I looked at him as if he was stupid. Todoroki was one of the students who had gotten through recommendations, and it wasn't hard to see why considering that he had just iced the whole building.

"Trust me," he says waiting for me to release the barrier. Before I could attempt to communicate anything else to him, Orjiro took off, leaving me with no choice but to stay with the missile. I sighed and threw up another barrier, standing guard until someone would show up. I wasn't sure of how much time had passed already but after hearing the sounds of Ojiro's footsteps fading I began to hear slow calm footsteps approach the room.

"You're in my way," Todoroki said while stomping his foot on the ground. On cue, ice surged from his foot and crawled up the barrier creating a wall of ice that trapped me in the room. Eventually the ice started to crawl through and thicken in the walls down to my feet.

_Damn it_, I mentally cursed. _I wonder what happened to Ojiro. _As the ice started to crawl up my legs I knew I was running out of time. As a last ditch effort I release the barrier and hold both of my hands up, aiming at the door.

_My air bullets won't be able to chip away at the ice this time. Its too thick._ My heart was pounding as my legs started to feel numb from the ice. _But if I can shoot his legs I may have a chance to immobilize him._

I watched as the ice wall slowly melted. Coming to the realization that Todoroki had two quirks made me realize that I was fighting a losing battle. As much as I hated to admit it, he had me cornered. The moment Todoroki started to walk towards the bullet I shot at his legs relentlessly.

_Even if I do lose, I'm not going down easily_. After landing a successful hit, Todoroki slipped then blasted more ice my way. Covering my body from the neck down.

"You just don't know when to give up do you?" Todoroki looked at me with annoyance.

_Ojiro where are you?_ My glare at Torodoki hardened. While I was able to immobilize one of his legs, I knew it wasn't enough to stop him. With all of his strength Todoroki began to crawl towards the bullet. _Is there anything else I can do?_

With my whole body frozen all I could do was watch as Todoroki inched his way closer and closer to the missile. With no sign of Ojiro coming, I closed my eyes and swallowed my pride.

"The hero team wins!" All Might's voice roared after Todoroki place his hand on the bullet.

* * *

"Shizu-dear what happened?" Grandma worriedly spoke. After dropping my school bag down I take my shoes off and whip my phone out.

"Its from hero training," I kept it simple.

"Your legs are red," she hunched down to get a better look. It was only a matter of time before she would figure it out. I had gotten frostbite on my legs. However, thanks to recovery girl she managed to treat most of it and said the redness would disappear after a day.

"You sure you don't want to transfer to Ongaku?" I heard dad's voice chime in as he walked in. "I keep getting phone calls from them about you."

"I'm positive," I text him, causing my dad to sigh in disappointment. Even after making it into Japan's number one school he still doubted me. Doing my best, I shake my head to dismiss the sad thoughts crawling into my mind.

"Shizuka," he began. "...Nevermind. Here is some money. Get yourself some dinner while I take grandma to the doctors."

_Okay_, I nod my head.

"Are you feeling any better grandma?" I asked her.

"Much better," she smiled. "Ever since the doctor gave me those antibiotics I've been feeling great! Please don't worry Shizu-dear, you have a lot on your plate already."

_I can't help it though..._I frown. After waving them goodbye I change out of my school uniform and walk down the street to the local convenience store. _Thank goodness neither of them asked how today went. I doubt dad would like to hear how I lost in combat training...hmm...I wonder what Hitoshi is up to...maybe we could head to the bakery together. _

"You free?" I texted before slipping my phone back into my pocket. After waiting for about ten minutes I check up on my phone to feel my stomach slightly drop in disappointment. I was left on read again.

_Whats going on?_ I wondered. It wasn't like him to flat out ignore me like this. Though Hitoshi could be stoic, he was blunt when it came to conversations. _If he was busy or didn't want to talk he would've just said so._

Tossing my phone back into my pocket I continue on with my original plan and head to the convenience store. After picking up a salad and some snacks I walk back home and open up my homework. As much as I wanted to release all of the built up emotions I had boiling I knew this wasn't the time to do it.

_It may be stormy now but it won't rain forever. Be strong._ The words of my mother rang in my head. She always used to say that when Himori and I were upset. Thought I didn't get it at the time, it wasn't until she passed did I learn the meaning behind her words. _I'll do my best mom... I promise._

* * *

**EDIT: 7/31 thanks for notifying me on the writing errors! I'm only human but I'll be sure to keep a close eye on my mistakes. **

**Awe, looks like Shizuka is giving out lip reading lessons to the Baku-squad. Next chapter we go into the U.S.J arc see more of how Shizuka interacts with class 1-A. I really appreciate the feedback you guys give me and I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story so far! If you have any questions or criticism feel free to ask and share! Until next time!~**

**Chibi-no-baka: Thank you for the review! I'm not sure if this will help but this is how I interpret Shizuka's quirk (if it helps): Shizuka needs to use a body part when activating her quirk, with her hand gun its her fingers, with the barrier she uses the palm of her hands and with sitting in her invisible chair she uses her bottom and lower half. If she over uses it that certain body part that that shes using will start to wear and tear slowly. If Shizuka was more powerful and op she probably could mime riding a bike but it would require her to use her quirk on her whole body (along with peddling very fast) and tire her out quick. **


	8. Relief

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 8: Relief**

* * *

"Hey you!" My head turned to a crowd of reporters who appeared to be following not just me but a bunch of other U.A. student's as we walked to school. "Can you tell us what it's like to have All Might as a teacher? You do attend U.A. if I'm correct, that's their school uniform!"

_Seriously?_ I raised an eyebrow at the hyperactive mob. Not only was it early in the morning, but I wasn't about to whip out my cell phone and text them a response, that would just encourage them to ask even more questions. Turning my back, I began to feel stares and glares being shot in my direction as they yelled about how rude I was being and giving a bad reputation of the student's at U.A.

"Come on! Don't be shy! We just want to ask a few questions!" Another reporter shoved a microphone in my face.

"I. cannot. talk." I slowly mouthed as they followed from behind.

"You're going to have to speak a lot louder than that!" he exclaimed, shoving the mic even closer to me.

"All Might's leadership and wisdom remind us that we attend the most prestigious institute. He is the personification of honor and integrity that is expected of the number one hero. It's an honor to be under the direct tutelage of the pro hero we all admire! If you have any concerns or questions please direct your attention to me!" Exclaimed an easily recognizable uptight, kind voice.

_Iida_, I looked behind my shoulder to see him shoot a smile in my direction before adjusting his glasses as the crowd focused their attention on him. Thank you. I nod my head at him before quietly taking off and avoiding the reporters.

This was exactly why I didn't strive to be the number one hero. I didn't want the fame, I wanted the piece of mind that I was doing something good for our society. A pro hero that doesn't directly work in the spotlight but protects the people from the shadows...if that made any sense. That way, I could maintain my privacy and live a normal life...in short, I kinda wanted to be like Mr. Aizawa.

_Kind of_, I mentally repeated as I walked into class to see Mr. Aizawa laying in his yellow sleeping bag._ I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing him like this._

* * *

"Decent work on the combat training. I watched the videos and went over teach team's results." Mr. Aizawa announced during homeroom. "Bakugou, you're talented. So don't sulk about your loss okay? Midoriya, I see the only way you won the match was from messing up your arm again. Work harder and stop giving me the excuse you don't have control over your quirk because it's getting old. Basho..."

My head perked up to witness Mr. Aizawa's tired eyes staring at me.

"You need to find a way to better communicate. Whether you intend to go solo or work with a team as a pro, communication is key. It can make the difference between life and death sometimes. However, I can see your determined so I'm not too worried about you."

_I know that.._.I nodded my head, letting Mr. Aizawa know I understood his message. While becoming a pro hero was on the top of my to-do list, getting my voice back was a near tie with it. _It's not like I can whip out my phone in the middle of combat..._As of right now, Hitoshi was my only lead for regaining my voice. _If he could somehow use his brainwashing quirk on me then maybe, just maybe I'd be able to regain my voice but.._._He has a lot on his plate already, from being thrown into the general studies classes and trying to find a way to get into the hero course. I know he promised to help but I can't be selfish right now...plus he seems to be angry at me for some reason...but why?_ I wanted answers and I was determined to get them. I didn't care if he was angry at me, what bothered me though was the fact he was flat out ignoring me. After thinking it over I decided I was going to hunt down Hitoshi. Since I wasn't able to catch him on the morning train due to the annoying reporters I knew my only shot at this was going to be during lunch time.

"Now then, let's get down to business. This next task will decide your future...you all need to pick a class representative." Mr. Aizawa spoke more serious than needed.

Class representative. A job that didn't really look so desirable but when it came to U.A. the job title came with more perks than your average school. It's a way to get noticed by hero agencies and to prove you can lead a team.

_I'm going to sit this one out. Besides, there are more qualified people here than I am who seem fit to be the class rep._ With a certain name running through my head, I decided on who my vote was on and relaxed. I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair while watching the majority of the class shoot their arms up and exclaim how they should be the class rep. After the bickering started to die down, Iida suggested a class vote. Once we submitted our votes and submitted them he then tallied them up and immediately his facial expression fell into a frown.

"It's time class rep, lets begin." Yayorozu spoke to the nervous wreck that stood beside her in front of the classroom. To my (and a few others) surprise, Midoriya had won the election of being the class rep with Yayorozu being vice president. Not that he wasn't qualified, he just didn't seem too upbeat about being the class rep.

"Uh...okay yeah! We need to figure out who the other class officers will be!" He announced, with his back hunched down.

_Poor Midoriya. Just step down now before it's too late_, I rested my cheek onto the palm of my hand watching his composure go from bad to worse. After a painful minute of silence Midoriya announced he would be stepping down from the title of class rep and gave it to Iida, which ironically was who I voted for earlier during the vote.

"If Midoriya is nominating me for this job then I humbly accept it!" Iida stated as he took a stand.

* * *

"An...ankle pain?" Kaminari spoke unsure, in attempts to interpret what I had just said. With my eyes concentrated on searching the cafeteria for a certain indigo-haired boy, I just shook my head and waited for him to guess again.

"She said an apple a day you moron," spoke the last person I expected to chime in. For a brief moment I looked at Bakugou who appeared disinterested yet was engaging in my lesson on how to read lips. To my surprise he appeared to be a fast learner and started to pick it up quicker than Kaminari and Kirishima.

"Bakugou's actually not stupid," Sero mouthed to me.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Immediately the hairs on Sero's neck began to stand as Bakugou glared daggers at him.

"Don't take it so personal," I mouthed at the angry blonde. I guess he's got more then hot steam inside that head.

"I wasn't you damn mute," he grunted. Despite the insults it felt nice not having to use my phone every other minute.

"Are you guys done? I'll take your lunch trays if you want," I texted the guys, noticing the empty trays that we're taking up space on the table.

"Yeah! Thanks Basho," Kirishima smiled. After topping their lunch tray's together I walked up to the garbage bin that stood near the cafeteria entrance. Before I made my way back to the table, I caught the eye of a certain indigo-haired boy walking past me and out of the cafeteria.

_There he is!_ I followed in pursuit out into the hallway. _Wait!_ I gently grabbed his shoulder causing him to turn to me immediately.

"Shizuka?" Hitoshi looked at me in mild confusion.

"Let's talk," I texted him.

"About...?" As I go to text down my reply my eyes then wander towards the window where I saw a group of familiar non-pleasant faces. The press and reporters were at it again, yearning for any information on All Might they could use for their own personal gain.

"**Warning: Level three security break. Please evacuate the facility in an orderly fashion**." The announcement echoed through the halls.

_How the heck did they get past the school's security system_-Before I could comprehend what was going on Hitoshi grabs my hand and yanked me towards him.

"Pay attention! That guy almost ran you over," He scolded me as a swarm of students started to run out into the hallway. "So much for orderly fashion. Stay close to me okay?"

_Y-yeah_...I knew he was serious, yet my face was starting to feel warm along with my heart racing. Tightening my grip on his hand we go against the crowd until finding a clearing towards the back of the hallway.

"We'll be fine as long as we follow them from a distance," Hitoshi stated while slightly panting. "You okay?" I nodded my head then released my grip on his hand. Almost immediately I noticed Hitoshi frown as he scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry," His gaze instantly dropped to the floor as he leaned against the wall. It didn't escape my eyes that he his cheeks were slightly flushed either, but that could've been due to us just fighting through the crowd. "So what was it that you wanted to talk about?"

_Uhh._..After catching my breath and calming down my nerves, I ask: "How have you been? We haven't talked in awhile..."

"I've been more or less okay... I see you made some friends in the hero course." Despite having a really good poker face I could see just an ounce of guilt and envy hidden in Hitoshi's expression that many would have disregarded as being aloof.

"You mean Kirishima and the guys? Ehh I guess, though Bakugou can be pretty hot-headed. I would've sat with you at lunch but...I thought you were angry at me." I admitted, lowering my gaze as I showed him my reply.

"Is that so?" he simply said, keeping his aloof, cool persona. "I wasn't ignoring you because I was angry, if that's what your thinking." My glance looked up into his purple eyes in shock as he continued to talk. "I did it hoping that you'd focus more on yourself and training. I don't want to be the reason you fall behind."

_It's almost scary how you can read my thoughts_, I thought to myself as my cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "You know, I would've never gotten this far if it wasn't for you...You've done so much for me, I only want to return that same kindness to you."

"Don't worry about it," Hitoshi sighed, lightly patting the top of my head with his hand. "You've done plenty enough, trust me."

_He's such a nice person_. I smiled, feeling butterflies in my stomach. While I was aware of the feelings I was developing for him, I was content with how things were going. Besides, school before boys, as Himori put it. _How I was able to get a friend like him is beyond me...I'm glad._

"Anyways, I found a way on how to get into the hero course...," Hitoshi began. "But it's going to come at a price."

_What do you mean?_ I tilted my head and motioned him to continue.

"The U.A. sports festival is coming up soon, if I can manage to do well enough the teachers can decide to transfer me into the hero course...However, doing so would mean transferring someone else out to make room. That's why I kept telling you to focus on yourself," Hitoshi continued. "You need to do good on this...The last thing I want is to take your spot."

"Worry about yourself Hitoshi," I smiled as I used the voice to text app to speak with its robotic voice. Hitoshi's head jerked up and looked at me in shock. Seeing his reaction instantly made me laugh. "...Just kidding."

"I hate that voice app," Hitoshi replied as he tried to fight back the urge to smirk. "Don't you?" It took me a second to figure out why he worded it into a question like that, but as soon as I realized why I smiled and opened my mouth.

"Yeah, I wish I could talk to you normally." I mouthed, waiting for something to happen. Anything, like my body freezing up...but silence. Silence was all that took place as all of the other student's shouts and frantic footsteps started to become faint.

"...Didn't work huh?" Hitoshi sighed as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Guess I have to work harder then."

"Maybe next time it'll work," I texted. "We should try to catch up with the other students. Don't want to look like we're skipping class."

"Good idea."

* * *

"Today's training will be a little different. You'll have three teachers keeping tabs on you. In today's training you'll be doing rescue exercises at an off campus facility. So get your costumes on and meet me at the front of the school. We'll be taking a bus to where we're going," Mr. Aizawa announced.

After being dismissed everyone grabbed their belongings and headed towards the locker rooms to change before taking off. There was a lot of excitement filling the air with people still talking about the security breach that happened during lunch.

"Hey Basho, what happened during lunch?" Kirishima asked. "You just disappeared."

"Sorry," I mouth before typing down my response. "I got trapped in the stampede and headed towards the back for safety."

"That was smart, we should've done that." Kaminari sighed. "I thought I was going to get trampled."

"You don't really seem like the smart type to me," Jiro hummed in.

"Hey! I'm totally smart," Kaminari shouted in defense.

"By the way, do you think we'll be partnered up in this exercise like we were from our last one?" Jiro thought out loud, completely ignoring Kaminari. I just shrugged my shoulders and hoped not, even though I had a good hunch that we were probably going to get partnered up.

_Think Shizuka think_, I sighed to myself. Other than reading lips how else could I communicate with them? While Mr. Aizawa was kind enough to let me take my cell phone for the bus ride, I knew the minute we stepped off he was going to have me put it away.

"Its gotta be hard, losing your voice." Jiro chimed in. "But if it helps I can read lips."

_Really?_ My mouth slightly dropped.

"Yeah," she nodded her head. "I heard you were giving the guys lip reading lessons."

"Yeah, we want in too!" Uraraka added on as she joined in along with Midoriya. "I mean, if you don't mind. That way you'd be able to talk to everyone without your cell phone."

"Yeah, I'd like to join in too," Midoriya asked.

_Everyone..._I smiled in awe at how open and friendly everyone was. Never did I expect this would happen in a million years. Once digesting my sudden outburst of joy, I calmed myself and nodded.

"Class begins at lunchtime tomorrow," I texted.

"Yes Basho-sensei!" Uraraka laughed.

"Hey Jiro, why don't you try sticking your ear phone jack in Basho to see if you can hear her talk," Kaminari suggested.

_No._

"No," Jiro stated before using her quirk on him. Kaminari then lets out a shriek of pain before shutting up and backing off. "Besides, it won't work if she's unable to produce any noise."

_And I'd rather not have anything stuck in my ear...or any where, no offence Jiro_. Despite not liking Kaminari's plan, I had to admit it was a clever one nonetheless.

"Is everyone here?" Iida repeated before telling us to board the bus, single file line and alphabetical order too.

_He's really taking this class rep thing seriously, not that I didn't mind_. Once everyone got settled in, I only realized that Iida's plan wasn't as good as an idea as I had imagined. I ended up getting a seat next to Bakugou, which was better than sitting next to Mineta but still. He was like a ticking time bomb, which only made me wonder how long it was going to be until his next outburst.

_He's surprisingly being quiet,_ I noticed as Bakugou stared out of the window in boredom.

"What the hell are you looking at?" He asked, glaring at me with his red eyes.

"You're quiet," I mouthed, not backing down from his stare.

"Says the mute freak herself," he growled. "Just don't get in my way." He turn turned his back towards me and rested his head onto the head rest as the bus engine started to reeve up.

"Oh man! I'm so excited!" Ashido exclaimed. "This is like a field trip!"

_Yeah...me too_, I agreed as I listened into the conversation taking place a row in front of me. _Lets do this!_

* * *

**Sorry for the wait, but I hoped you all enjoyed it! I sketched out a drawing of Shizuka's hero outfit that I'll have up and posted later this week (I'll post the link on my profile) if you guys are interested in seeing. Anyways, I have an important announcement to make. Since I'll soon be entering into my last semester of college, updates are going to bit slower starting late August, early September. I may be able to squeeze out one or two more chapter before school starts but I thought I'd let you guys know ahead of time in case something comes up. Again, I really appreciate the support, I can't thank you guys enough. If you have any questions, ask (or not) but until next time! Byeee.**

**Aarime: Thank you for the review! And the reason for that is because Shizuka is more comfortable fight long range than up close. But not to worry, I have plans to have her develop her quirk more and explore other uses for it (which I won't get into detail since that'd be spoilers).**

**Imya: Hold your horses, we're not there yet! xD But all I'm going to say is that there will be tension lol. Also thanks for catching that typo.**

**Zeowolf9: No you're right, Shizuka's quirk has an affinity for air not ice, it was a typo and I apologize for it. Thanks for catching it though, I'll be sure to look more closely for typos, my bad xD**


	9. Go Beyond

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 9: Go Beyond**

* * *

The ride to the training facility was interesting to say the least. While the class managed to fill only half of the bus, from the volume of everyone chatting it made it sound like the bus was full to capacity. With that being said I could confirm a couple of things after listening into Kirishima's conversation with some of the other students who sat a row in front of Bakugou and I. Midoriya was uncomfortable when it came to talking about his quirk, and that Bakugou would have a poor fan base with the temper he had.

"You're only proving their point more by yelling at them," I texted him, only to have him yell in my face.

"No body asked you mute freak!" He growled. "Get that damn phone out of my face before I chuck it out the window!"

"Quit messing around. We're here," Mr. Aizawa sighed, hoping that he wasn't going to have to use his quirk on anyone.

Stepping out of the bus we arrive at a large dome that wasn't too far off campus to be greeted by the Space hero, Thirteen. While most of us were amazed to be in the presence of another pro hero, it wasn't until we stepped inside of USJ, the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, that our excitement grew tenfold. With different types of accidents and disaster scenarios, this was the perfect place to practice our skills in different settings.

"In this super human society all quirks are frequently regulated to ensure the safety of civilians. In reality however, we often over look how dangerous they can be," Thirteen began. "Making the wrong move could be deadly, even if your trying to do something heroic like rescuing someone. Think of this class will be a fresh start for you guys. Here you will learn how to use your quirks to save people's lives here. With the being said, I hope you leave here with the understanding that you have the power to help others!" After wrapping up his introduction, Aizawa then took the lead and began to go over instructions and what was expected of us during this exercise, but before he could finish the electricity started to act up catching everyone's attention.

_Is this supposed to happen?_ I wondered at the oddity of events. I've seen flickering lights tons of times in the past but considering that we were attending Japan's top hero school and how on guard the teachers appeared I deduced that something was wrong._..very wrong._ Before my eyes down below a black hole started to grow and expand in front of the center of the training grounds. After growing to a decent size, unfamiliar faces started to appear and make their way out from a different location. At first I had thought of the possibility of it merely being apart of the exercise until I took a glance at Mr. Aizawa's expression of shock and terror.

"Gather around and don't move!" He exclaimed with a serious tone. "Thirteen, protect the students!"

"Is this part of the exercise?" Kirishima wondered. Mr. Aizawa then repeated his warning and informed us of how dire the situation had become. That the people down there who had appeared before us weren't a part of the training. Instead, they were villains. Real life villains, with real bad intentions. "Villains?! But how'd they get into this school?"

"Did they only appear here or around the school?" Todoroki added onto Kirishima's boat load of questions. The topic of the school's sensors then came up as to why it didn't catch any of these guys. After Thirteen confirmed they were up, we had come to the conclusion that someone had a quirk that was able to cancel them out. "It appears this thing was planned out." Todoroki concluded.

_They probably triggered the system during lunch_, I recalled thinking back of what had happened earlier today. _That would explain how the press was able to get on to campus so easily._

"Thirteen, contact the school and start evacuating the students." Aizawa ordered as he threw on his yellow signature goggles.

"But what about you Mr. Aizawa?! Are you going to fight by yourself?" Midoriya cried. "With a quirk like yours taking on all of those villains would be- Before Midoriya could finish, Mr. Aizawa took off to keep the enemy at bay.

_He didn't even bat an eye_, I watched him from afar in awe as he easily took down a handful of villains with his scarf. _Amazing..._My attention was soon broken after catching some of my classmates turn their backs away from the battle unfolding before them. My curiosity spiked, causing me to follow their actions and turn my back as well to see a purple mist blocking the entrance.

"We are the League of Villains," the purple mist announced with a sinister tone. Cutting straight to the point, the purple mist then speaks of how he and his gang had came to the USJ in hopes to eliminate the symbol of peace. The number one hero himself.

_They want to kill All Might_, my mouth slightly dropped as he continued on.

"He should be here," he spoke without any doubt. "Has there been some kind of change?"

_That's right. Mr. Aizawa did mention there would be three teachers watching over us...But how do they know All Might was supposed to be there?_ I wondered. All of a sudden I see two figures rush past me and charge straight at the purple mist. _Kirishima! Bakugou! What are you guys doing! _Flabbergasted by their rough and idiotic tactics, all I could do was watch with everyone else as they both attempted to jump the purple mist. _Did they really think that was going to work? _After the guys phased through the villain, the purple mist man then blasted waves of a rough purple wind that engulfed everyone's vision.

Quickly, I threw up a barrier but even that wasn't enough to stop the gushing winds that came with the murky dense fog. Before I knew it, I could no longer feel the ground underneath my feet as the winds started to die down. Looking down I find myself heading head first into what appeared to be the landslide zone area of the USJ. Before landing, I threw up another barrier with the palm of my hands to somewhat cushion my fall and ended up tumbling downhill a bit. Luckily I was somehow able to land with no scratches but I knew I was far from safety.

_That guy must have a teleportation quirk...and a powerful one at best_, I thought to myself as I started to gather a clearer image of what exactly was going on. _Todoroki was right, this whole thing seems as though it was planned from the start._

"Hey look its one of those brats!" I turned my head to see three villains make their way towards me. While they appeared to be ordinary street thugs, their demeanor gave off a cold aggressive vibe that indicated that their intentions were nothing but good.

_I need to find someone from class_, I determined while prioritizing my actions. _But first, I have to take care of these guys quick._

"This is going to be fun," laughed the other thug with excitement. Before they could take a step closer I pointed my index finger at them in the shape of a gun as a warning sign not to walk any further.

"How cute," the third, shortest one laughed. "You think that is going to scare us? Please, go ahead and try-" With no hesitation, I shot him in the head, knocking him unconscious instantly.

_You asked for it_, I then pointed my handgun to the other two thugs who appeared to be taken back and confused about what had just happened.

"So you like guns too huh?" The taller guy smirked as he reached into his pocket and whipped out a handgun, pointing it straight at me. "Lets see whose bullets are faster."

The moment he pulled the trigger, I placed an invisible wall in front of me from preventing any of his bullets from penetrating or getting through to me. After seeing that the first one didn't hit me, the thug continued to shoot again and again until he finally ran out of bullets. After releasing the barrier I shook my hands to try and cool them down quickly.

"What the hell?!" The tall thug shouted in frustration. "None of them hit her?!...Well?!" he then turned his head to his partner "Don't just stand there, get her! She's just a little girl, what's stopping you?!"

Bam! Like his comrade from earlier, I shot the tall thug down instantly (not killing him mind you), leaving one more guy left. Much to my amusement though, rather than charging at me, the guy decided to take the high road and run off, leaving his comrades in the dust.

"Every man for themselves!" He cried as he sprinted off in the opposite direction.

_Glad that is over with..._I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand while walking up to the two unconscious villains that laid on the ground before me. Glancing down I notice that one of the unconscious thugs was armed with a knife. Despite not being the best close range fighter, I decided to go ahead and take a knife away, in case I was ever going to need it. This c_ould come in handy._ After taking the knife and holster I then took off in search for any familiar faces, assuming I wasn't the only one transferred elsewhere.

_I'll search this area first, then I'll check the the next one closest_. I planned out while searching the perimeter. Luckily for me, it didn't take too long before I was able to hear the voice of someone familiar off in the nearby distance. Though it was faint and calm, I was sure that the voice belonged to someone from my class.

"Get a hold of yourselves. You're adults aren't you? It's pathetic to lose against a single kid."

Poking my head around the hill I find non other than Todoroki freezing a small group of adults. _I should've known..._ With more sneaking up behind him I didn't waste a second to shoot my air bullets right into the villain's head.

"Basho," Todorki looked right at me with an unsurprising expression as he bowed his head ever so slightly to thank me.

_Don't get too cocky._ I nodded my head accepting his gratitude. After our brief exchange of acknowledging each other's presence I then shot another villain down that tried to sneak up from Todoroki's blind spot. _Just how many of these guys are there?_

"Your quirk is pretty lethal," Todorki noticed as the guys I shot instantly fell and rolled down the rocky terrain.

_I didn't kill them if that's what your thinking_, I looked at him in slight annoyance, noticing that he had put up his guard around me. While yes, I probably could easily shoot to kill since I was able to control just how much air pressure went into my air bullet but have I attempted to try? Never. In a case like this, I only shot them hard enough to render them unconscious.

"Don't forget, we're supposed to be the heroes here." He continued before walking off. "I'm going to look for All Might. Head back to the entrance. It's not safe here."

_Says the one who left those guys to freeze to death_, I mentally called him out. But rather then trying to tell him that I just shook my head and ignored his warning while I continued to follow behind him, which earned me a glare from him. _I'm not running away, I can take care of myself. _Todoroki simply sighed as we made our way down to flat land. The rest of the walk remained in silence as blasts and explosions were heard off in the distance, with the occasional street villains charging right at us. With Todoroki taking care of the villains in front of us and me taking care of the ones that tried to come from behind, we were able to search the whole area pretty quick. To my surprise, we appeared to make a good team, considering the fact that neither one of us had a scratch on us.

_This is pretty interesting_, I thought to myself. _Usually it's hard for me to work with others yet the two of us seem to be doing just fine._ While Todoroki wouldn't have been my first choice to get stuck with originally I found myself feeling very relieved that it was him that I ended up getting stuck with. Through the mists of my deep thinking and villains fighting from the distance a familiar loud voice broke through my concentration, causing me to yank my head up and turn to the left. I had no doubt about it of who that violent, obnoxious voice belonged to. Tapping Todoroki's shoulder lightly, I get his attention and motion him to follow me.

"Found something?" He asked, I nodded and made my way in the direction towards the source of that voice with Todoroki following close behind.

_I'm sure it's him_, I didn't have to run too far to see my hunch was right. _Bakugou. _And not only him, there was Midoriya and Kirishima too along with All Might and three of the villains. One being the purple mist guy from earlier.

_All Might is in trouble!_ I noticed, seeing him the grips of a large, muscular mutated villain. Instantly, Todoroki instantly sprung into action as he stomped his foot onto the ground, causing ice to race up and cover most of the monster's body. I too joined in too a second later, shooting the monster's grip with my air bullets, causing him to loosen his grip enough for All Might to escape.

"I heard you all are here to kill All Might," Todoroki stated to the intruders in front of us. "The Symbol of Peace cannot be killed by the likes of you."

"Todoroki! Basho! You guys came too!" Midoriya sighed in relief. With Bakugou pinning down the purple mist villain and the mutated monster frozen by Todoroki's ice that just left one more villain left to finish. What stood before us was a slim built man with mint colored hair and decayed hands that gripped onto his shoulders, arms, and face.

"Basho?" The mint haired man repeated while tilting his head. "As in, Himori Basho?" he then started to scratch his neck as if bothered by the mere mention of his name.

_Himori?_ My body immediately froze up in pure shock at the mention of his name_...How does he know Himori?_ I wanted so badly to ask, but had no way of being able to do so. A terrorist like him knowing Mr. perfect Himori? The perfect child who never got in trouble as a kid? The thought just seemed too illogical. _This is so frustrating_, I mentally huffed out just wishing I had my voice back, if only for a minute. _He's right there and I can't even ask him a simple question._

"Himori Basho?...Who is that?" Midoriya thought out loud.

"Never mind that," the man spoke reluctantly. "Kurogiri," he faced towards the purple mist man. "Our exit and entrance has been overcome. Looks like we're in a pinch. Just how the heck did you let this brat get the best of you?"

"The dumbass got careless," Bakugou grinned. "I was able to find out from before that only certain parts of you can turn into that mist form. You're not immune to physical attacks if their well aimed."

Before Kurogiri could squirm his way out Bakugou let off a mini blast as a warning sign for the trapped villain. "Don't move!" he warned him while tightening his grip. "You try anything funny and I'll blast your ass part!"

"That doesn't sound very heroic," Kirishima spoke with amusement.

_You got that right_, I mentally agreed as I tried to push my ever growing curiosity to the back of my thoughts.

"Everyone look out!" All Might warned us. Immediately my head dashed up to see the monstrous villain back together in one piece as his arm and leg started to regenerate before my very eyes. "I thought his quirk was shock absorbent!"

"That's not his only quirk, he also has super regeneration." The mint haired man informed us. "Nomu here has been modified to take you on at 100%. Now then, lets free Kurogiri. Get em Nomu."

Before I had time to blink my eyes I found myself getting blown away from a strong force, tumbling back a couple of feet. "Basho!" Lifting my head up I see Kirishima run to my aid and quickly help me back up to my feet.

"You okay?" Kirishima asks worried. I nodded and gave him a look of confusion and curiosity. "Don't look at me like that, I have no idea what just happened either."

_I didn't even see what happened. It was so fast_. Turning my head back to the fight I was able to find All Might emerge from the dust of the impact. _He saved Bakugou.._.I stared at the number one hero in astonishment, realizing he had taken a hit from Nomu, all while protecting Bakugou.

"You didn't even think to hold back on these kids?" All Might asked the villains in disbelief.

"I didn't have much of a choice," the mint haired man with his face covered explained. "That kid was threatening my companion. Besides, these kids are no angels. The plain looking one tried to kill me with a maxed out punch. And that girl over there shot Nomu with no hesitation like a killer. What kind of hero does something like that? You think you can get away with being as violent as you want for the sake of others? That just pisses me off! Why do people get to decide that some violent acts are heroic while others are evil?! Violence always breeds more violence, I'll make sure the world understands that once your dead All Might!"

"You try to make your actions sound noble but I bet you're just doing this because you like it!" All Might replied back, not batting an eye at the small group of villains that stood in front of him.

"We can take them, we have them outnumbered," Todoroki stated.

"Don't worry, I can handle this myself." All Might stated while giving us a confidant thumbs up. "Thank you all for your assistance but the circumstances have changed."

"But you're hurt!" Midoriya cried. "And almost out of time-!" Slapping his mouth shut, Midoriya stops himself from saying anything else as if he was about to say something of great importance.

_What was that about?_ I lifted an eyebrow at him, noticing I was the only one who was able to pick up what had just happened. _What did he mean by almost out of time?_

"Just step back and watch a pro at work!" In the split of a second All Might charged at Nomu and gave it his all, punch after punch, stepping it up every time his fist came into contact with the mutated villain. The impact of his power had sent gushes of strong winds that prevented anyone from even taking a step closer to them. Even when All Might had launched Nomu up in the air he didn't give him a second to retaliate. All Might quickly appeared in front of Nomu and sent him flying back down, slamming into the hard dirt floor that caused the USJ to shake.

_This is the number one hero...amazing._ I watched in awe, as this one sided battle began to reach its conclusion.

"Now for a lesson. You may have heard these words before. But let me teach you what they mean. **Go beyond, Plus Ultra**!" And with one final punch, the Symbol of Peace had triumph over evil once again.

* * *

It didn't take long afterwards that the police and reinforcements had shown up (thanks to Iida) and arrested most of the villains. Most, meaning that some had escaped such as the purple mist man Kurogiri and that other guy with the unforgettable mint hair. It never left my consciousness of how the mint haired guy knew Himori. The more I thought about it, the more frustrated and eager I grew, yearning for information. Eventually, everyone was evaluated by the school nurse and the situation calmed down to the point where they finally allowed students to go home. Not to my surprise after walking off of campus I found my dad waiting patiently in his car. Word had already gotten out about what had happened.

"Thank goodness," he sighed with relief. "I was worried that you might have gotten hurt." Nodding my head, I open the passenger door and plopped down into the seat, throwing my backpack onto the backseat of the car. "Just what the hell happened today? I heard the school was attack and that the students were in danger."

**(2) New Messages,** After finally getting a hold of my phone I glanced down at the lock screen to notice that I had gotten a couple of texts.

"How the hell did something like this happen at a prestigious school of U.A?" My Dad huffed out, gripping the steering wheel in frustration. "Its a good thing you didn't get hurt, otherwise I'd sue the school and transfer you out immediately."

_Transfer?_ I looked at him in shock, nearly dropping my phone.

"Never mind that, the most important thing is that your safe. You don't know how worried you have your grandma and I."

_Grandma.._.I lowered my head, felling a sense of guilt. As far as I knew, her physical health wasn't exactly optimal. To make her worry like that and stress out made me feel bad.

"I'm sorry," I texted Dad.

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault." he replied. "Just make sure that you start being aware of your surroundings."

_Right..._I nodded my head and decided to finally open my messages. One from Hitoshi and another from Himori.

"Are you okay?" Hitoshi's message read. Blunt and straight to the point, as usual.

_I made everyone worry_, I sighed as I typed up my response.

"Yep," I replied while sending a picture of myself giving a thumbs up. "Sorry to worry you." As for Himori's text message...

"Shizu-chan whats up? I heard something happened over at U.A." After replying that I was fine I slid my phone back into my pocket and closed my eyes for the rest of the drive back home. Today was a long day, and after everything that had happened I needed time to digest what had happened.

_Himori..._ Without a name I couldn't ask him about the mint haired man. And with little to no other clues, all I could do was sit and wonder.

* * *

**AAHHHHH, we hit 100 followers! Thank you so much for the love and support, I don't think I can say thank you enough but thanks guys! It really motivates me to do better and make my writing even more better! I'll try my best to squeeze out one more chapter before school starts but no promises :( Please remember, this story won't be cancelled, but put on hiatus until around Christmas time. I really hate to leave on a high note, but the program I'm in gives me little to no free time. Hope you guys can understand. Until next time!~**

**BloodDraconius: I actually debated on whether Shizuka should learn sign language or not but ended up deciding last minuet to not have her learn sign language based on three factors: 1) No one (as far as I know) knows sign language in MHA. While I could have made her family learn for her sake and close friends like Shinso it just seemed too much. 2) Shizuka isn't deaf and has other ways of communicating already. 3) I didn't want Shizuka to appear too much like Shouko Nishimiya from A Silent Voice, who served at the inspiration for me to create a silent protagonist.**

**Rynxenvy: Funny that you say that. Originally I had it planned out where Shizuka would've ended up with Bakugou (the concept of someone quiet ending up with someone loud like Bakugou intrigued me, plus I thought it was funny). But things changed, plus Shinso needs a little love lol.**


	10. Keep your friends close

**The Silent Hero: Mute**

**Chapter 10: Keep your friends close...**

* * *

"Be careful out there."

I nodded my head again for what felt like the millionth time as my dad bombarded me with a load of concern. Not that I wasn't grateful, it was just overwhelming of how much he was worried. Which in turn made my grandma worry even more.

"Its even on the news, my goodness." I overhead my grandma say from the living room. "Shizu-dear make sure you be aware of your surroundings when you're out there." Rushing to slip my shoes on, I nod my head again and make a run out of the door before they could lecture me more on how to be safe.

_You should be more concerned about your son whos out abroad. For all we know__ Himori is pretending to be in college and actually living a double life. _I thought while gripping the handles of my backpack out of frustration.

..._The only reason I let Himori go to Shiketsu is because he didn't have a quirk mutation like you. He was born to be a hero. You weren't. _Even though it had been so long since my dad had said it, the feeling still stung like a fresh paper cut. _And then to top things off that guy with the hands..._ Before my thoughts could escalate I take a deep breathe and sigh. I immediately shook my head at the thought as I felt guilt in the pits of my stomach for even considering that possibility. _Focus Shizuka f__ocus! Today is a new day. _

It wasn't until I saw yesterday's incident on the news that reality started to hit me once again. I was attending the most prestigious school for heros in all of Japan, and that was a miracle in it of itself that could easily be taken away at any moment.

"Hey!" I break out of my concentration and turn to see Hitoshi slowly making his way towards me. Immediately I lightly nod him a hello, waiting for him to catch up. "I heard your class had a run in with some villains yesterday...Something happened? You look a little shaken up."

"Its a long story," I mouthed to him. It would be too long for me to even type out all of the details of what happened, despite Hitoshi being a patient person.

"I see," Hitoshi replied with an understanding look. "Your dad is giving you trouble again?"

_Well you're half right_, I looked at him with a you-got-me smile and scratched the back of my head.

"Hm..." Hitoshi closes his eyes for a moment then glances ahead at the crowd of people waiting to get on the morning train. "Listen. If you ever need a place to go, you know, when things get rough at your house, my door is always open."

_Huh? _My mouth slightly dropped as I looked at him, all while waving my hands back and forth. _N-no, thats okay! I don't want my family problems to burden you and your family. Besides you've done more than enough Hitoshi-_

"I'm serious," he turns his head and stares at me straight in the eye. "Don't let your father get in the way of your dreams."

"Good advice... When did you become a therapist?" I texted, letting out a silent chuckle.

"As of today actually," he smirked. "My sessions aren't free though so you're going to have to pay up."

"How does a trip to the bakery sound?" Hitoshi then glanced down at me as his facial expression lightened up.

"I suppose that'll suffice," he said. Before we entered the train station I tap his back quick and lightly bow my head in appreciation.

"Thank you Hitoshi," I mouthed to him smiling.

"No need to be formal," Hitoshi glances away over to the train stopping. "Come on, lets get in line before all of the seat are taken."

_Someones eager to get to school today_, I smiled while following Hitoshi from behind closely into the heavily packed train.

"What?" he turned as we managed to squeeze ourselves into the back seats.

"You have a test today? you seem excited to get to school," I texted him, as I noticed him slightly fumbling with the handle of his backpack.

"You noticed huh?" He smirked while rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm just curious about what kind of students are in Japan's best hero course."

"They're definitely interesting to say the least," I began.

"Anyone stick out? With interesting quirks I mean."

I paused and thought for a moment. I could say Bakugou, but his loud personality sticks out 10xs more than his quirk, despite how powerful it was. Todoroki? An obvious choice, he was both strong and smart. Midoriya... come to think of it what exactly is his quirk?

"It's better if you see for yourself," I replied via text. "I don't think words could do justice for describing the quirks we have in Class 1-A."

"You don't say?" he began with an unsatisfied look. "Hmph, guess I'll have to come take a look myself."

"Why don't you come sit with us at lunch? I'll introduce you to them."

"Yeah...sounds like a good idea," he spoke with an odd low tone. I tilted my head in curiosity, wondering if Hitoshi had meant for it to come out like that or if it was just another case of me overthinking again. I stared for a moment then decided to glance over towards the window watching the view go by, assuming he had meant nothing by it.

* * *

"Man the news channels are making a big deal out of this!" My ears perked while listening into Kaminari and Jiro's conversation.

"Can you blame them? The hero course that keeps pumping out pro heroes was attacked," Jiro stated while twirling her ear phone jacks. "Who knows what would've happened if the teachers didn't show up when they did."

_Yeah..._I silently nod in agreement. _If things had gotten worse I have no doubt that my dad would've already have me transfer out._ Despite yesterday's incident being the hot topic at the school I found myself more preoccupied with trying to find out the blue haired villain's connection to Himori. _No, not this again...I don't want to believe Himori is involved with villians...its crazy to even comprehend!...or worse, what if he's in trouble?_

In attempts to relinquish my thoughts I decided to send him a brief text. A simple 'hey, how are you doing?' should suffice and not seem out of the norm. Once I got the notification that my message went through I closed out of my texting app and focused my attention back on what was going on around me.

"Who do you think is gonna be teaching homeroom since Mr. Aizawa is in the hospital?" I nudged Jiro and showed her my text before hitting the megaphone button to read my text out loud. All in attempts to sway my attention elsewhere.

"Good question, maybe Present Mic?" she replied.

"Yeah there is no way Mr. Aizawa is showing up to class today," Kaminari added on. "Man did you see how he looked yesterday? Those villains really did a number on him."

"Well its no thanks to him and All Might that we were able to able to get out safe and sound." Kirishima said.

"Just who were those guys from yesterday?" Kaminari wondered out loud.

"Don't you remember? They called themselves the League of Villains." Jiro informed him.

"...What about that one guy with the hands?"

"Hm?" Jiro and Kaminari looked at me with a slight perplexed look, quickly indicating that they didn't know what I was talking about. Immediately I look to Kirishima for slight hope on a lead.

"Oh that creep." Kirishima began as he cuffed his chin in thought. "...I think I remember his partner calling him Tomura...Tomura...Shigiraki?"

_Tomura Shigiraki..._The name instantly burned into my memory as I made a mental note to look into him once I had some free time.

"Thats right, you guys were right there with All Might." Jiro said.

"Oh man, you guys got to see All Might in action up close!" Kaminari said in awe.

"Yeah it was crazy!" Kirishima exclaimed.

"Everyone settle down homeroom is about to begin!" Iida exclaimed as he rushed into class exuberantly. A few seconds after Iida rushed in a familiar figure covered from head to toe in wrappings and bandages walked into the room causing most of the class's jaws to drop.

"Mr. Aizawa?!"

"Are you okay?!" Midoriya asked in mild shock.

"My well being doesn't matter," Aizawa muffed between his bandages.

"But sir you're in no condition to be teaching. Please I insist you get some rest!" Iida shouted, swinging his hand out to emphasize his words.

"The fight isn't over yet," Aizawa began. After all, the U.A. sports festival is drawing near." Immediately the class's concerns for the teacher flew out the window and silence came sweeping in as my heart dropped with excitement.

_The sports festival!_ I mentally gasped, recalling how Hitoshi had mentioned it. This was his chance to make it into the hero course, but it was also a chance for me to prove to my dad that I could be a hero... _But did Mr. Aizawa have to make it sound that dramatic?_

"But Mr. Aizawa, is it okay to have an event when the villains just attacked?" Mineta asked.

"Yeah for once Mineta has got a point," Ashido huffed as she plopped her cheek onto one of the palms of her hand.

"Wait what's that supposed to mean?!" Mineta cried out.

"Not to worry," Mr. Aizawa replied. "Security will be five times more stronger than that of previous years as well. This event isn't to be cancelled because of a few villains, this is one of Japan's biggest events after all. If you guys expect to go pro, then the path to your future will open up at this event. If you understand that, then don't slack off on your preparations! This is your time to shine and to prove yourselves...any questions?"

"No sir!" everyone exclaimed in unison.

"Good, then homeroom is dismissed."

* * *

As the morning classes went and came I found myself becoming hungry as the aroma of Lunch Rush's cooking started to fill the cafeteria. Once I had found Hitoshi in the crowd of people eagerly waiting in line for line I had him walk with me to the lunch table where the guys were sitting along with Jiro and Ashido.

"Don't worry they won't bite," I wrote with a laughing emoji. "Everyone is really nice for the most part."

"Interesting...So this is the famous Class 1-A," Hitoshi said as his eyes scanned the table.

"Yeah, whats it to you?" Bakugou looked up and growled with a mouth full of rice.

"Just scouting out the competition," Hitoshi bluntly replied.

"Whatever, not like its going to do you any favors." Bakugou replied with his usual raspy voice. Immediately I found myself regretting the decision to introduce Hitoshi to the guys, especially Bakugou of all people.

_What was I thinking?!_ I screamed internally. _Oh no, what have I done?_

"I thought you guys were supposed to be impressive but you just sound like an ass. Guess I've come here to find a bunch of ego-maniacs. Hey Shizuka, is everyone in the hero course like this?" Hitoshi asked.

"Shizu...ka? Wait a second!" Sero exclaimed as if a light bulb had switch on in his head. "You know this guy Basho?!"

"First name basis too," Kirishima cuffed his chin in awe. "They must be close."

"He's not your boyfriend is he Basho?" Kaminari asked in a loud whisper.

"Hes my friend!" I exclaimed via my smart phone. "Hitoshi Shinso."

"Well tell your friend he has no chance of winning against me!" Bakugou began, staring Hitoshi down as he got up to face him. "So don't even bother trying you extra!"

"Dude he has a name!" Kirishima nudged the angry, vicious blonde.

"Yeah Bakugou you're not giving our class a good reputation." Kaminari added on.

I looked over at Hitoshi to see him starting right back at Bakugou with the same expression of anger and determination. I had no idea what Hitoshi was thinking at that exact moment but from the tense vibes I was getting from the two I knew it was nothing but toxic.

"All talk and no bite. You better bring your A game or I'll snatch your spot right up from underneath you."

"Wait what do you mean by that?" Ashido asked while slurring a mouth full of noodles. Hitoshi then looks at her and the rest of the table informing them of how the sports festival works and how it gives the students of other departments a chance of moving up to the hero course.

"Seriously?! One of us could lose our spots!" Kirishima nearly gasped.

"By the way, what makes you think you're going to win Bakugou?" I texted through my text to speech app, making sure to put the volume on as loud as it can go.

"Cause I'm the strongest that's why! Who the hell do you think you're talking to you damn mute?!" Bakugou twisted his neck back at me and similar to the first day of school slammed both of his fists onto the table. Nearly knocking over Sero's lunch.

I sighed before quickly typing back my response. "You can't just decide you're the winner...What if I win?"

"Yeah, or me!" I overheard Ashido yell. "Or me! Seriously, the Sports Festival hasn't even started yet."

"Don't go psyching out anyone just yet!" I added on before shoving my phone back into my pocket.

"For a damn mute you sure do talk alot," Bakugou huffled as he picked up his lunch try to throw it out. "Aren't mimes supposed to be quiet?"

"Don't mind him, he's always like that." Kaminari said to Hitoshi. "I'm Denki Kaminari by the way. Nice to meet ya!"

"I'm going to make this clear so listen up. I didn't come here to make friends, I'm here for one thing only and that's to become a hero. I meant what I said earlier, if you don't bring your A game I will steal your spot." Hitoshi then glances to me with a look of cold determination.

_Hitoshi..._ I watched, observing his body language and facial features. _I don't exactly like this arrogant act hes got going on..._

"The hero course is competitive," said Sero. "But then again we did make it here for a reason so I'm not too worried."

"How arrogant," Hitoshi sighed with an annoyed look. Before anyone had a chance of replying, he took off with his lunch tray in hand. "See ya Shizuka." Where he went I had no idea but I decided to just stay put and enjoy the rest of lunch with my classmates.

"...He's your friend?" Kaminari asked in slight disbelief.

"Yes," I nodded my head. "Sorry about that. He's usually not like that-"

"Why the hell are you apologizing for his actions?" I heard Bakugou say as he made his way back to the table. "Stupid mute."

"Just when we thought Bakugou had blown off all of his steam," Jiro snickered, low enough for me to hear. Unconsciously I let out a silent laugh, which I assumed to exacerbated the flames of Bakugou's anger even more.

"Did that guy ask you about our quirks?" Bakugou's sudden tone of being serious mildly shocked me as I was expecting him to yell.

"Why do you ask?" I tilted my head in curiosity. _Come to think of it, yeah. On the train earlier today._

"Isn't it obvious? Hes using you to scout out the competition for the sports festival." Bakugou spoke in a are-you-stupid tone.

"Hitoshi wouldn't do that!" I immediately replied.

"Are you really that stupid?" Bakugou leaned towards me with a challenging look. "Just take a look. Since this morning everyone's been keeping an eye on our whole class. If people start finding out what our quirks are that leaves us at a disadvantage when going up against the other students."

Much to my easily impressionable mind Bakugou was right on the money. With a quick glance around the cafeteria, I noticed stares from various people from different departments of U.A. N_ow that I think about it, Hitoshi was a little off today..._ I began to think, coming to the horrible realization that Bakugou probably did have a point. And that left me with a sour feeling in the pits of my gut.

_Hitoshi's not using me...he wouldn't do that_. I thought to myself, while quietly pushing away my lunch tray.

* * *

"Sorry Hitoshi, but I have to cancel on our bakery trip. How does this weekend sound?" I sent a text, after seeing no sign of Hitoshi on the train.

"Yeah thats actually better for me. I have some things to take care of."

"Okay!" I replied, with a piece sign emoji. Shutting off the screen I look ahead and make my way back home to quickly change into a pair of comfy workout clothes.

_Time to train!_ With full determination, I waste no time and prepare. Crunching in time and even skipping dinner some nights so I could get ready. I wanted to win, but most importantly, I wanted to prove to my dad and the world that I could be a hero too like Himori. And the only way I knew I was going to be able to do that is to win the sports festival. _This is the biggest event in Japan. I can't afford to mess up._

Before I knew it, the week passed by and the morning of the sports festival had arrived. I almost couldn't fall asleep the night before because of how excited I was.

"Shizu-dear." I looked behind while slipping my school shoes on to see my grandma smiling. "Good luck today. Your father and I will be cheering for you."

Returning the smile, I nod my head with a mental thank you. _I won't disappoint you. _With adrenaline pumping through my veins I open the front door and see Hitoshi across the street playing on his phone while waiting for me patiently.

"You're still hanging around that boy?" I faintly heard my dad say before walking out. Immediately I turn around and shoot a glare at him. "Just be careful. If mind control doesn't scream villain I don't know what does."

_I'm going_. Without even saying goodbye, I make my anger known and slam the front door shut as hard as I can. _He's a stupid old man. I can't believe I'm related to him._

"You ready?" I ask Hitoshi before greeting him a hello.

"You really need to ask?" He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Good. Lets show these idiots we can be heroes." I reply before marching down to the train station with anger and determination fuming.

_Damn..._Hitoshi thought to himself as he walked closely behind his friend. _The one person I want to use my quirk on is someone I can't._ She was a walking kryponite to him, unaffected by his quirk. But that didn't mean he couldn't use that to his advantage. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Hitoshi couldn't help but smirk with determination. He was going to prove how wrong everyone was in their decision to put him in the support class, no matter what. Even if it meant getting his hands a little dirty.

* * *

**Sorry for the long delay! Not only did I graduate college I went on vacation and got busy with life D: I'm hoping to get a steady schedule back up and update weekly. Thank you everyone for being patient! I really appreciate the reviews and support. Until next time!~**


	11. Update note

Hello! Just wanted to give a quick update. Hope everyone is safe and healthy during this pandemic that we're going through. I apologize for the long wait of the next chapter but things have been rough with my personal life and as luck would have it Im litterary starting my career out in a middle of a pandemic (in an area that has alot of sick people). Not to get too personal but I just graduated nursing school and it's been tough. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up in the next month or two but I appreciate everyone's patience!


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